


When a Young Heart Loves

by ImmerGladsss



Series: Moonacre [1]
Category: The Little White Horse - Elizabeth Goudge, The Secret of Moonacre (2008)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Romance, Slow Romance, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2019-03-01 06:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 26
Words: 121,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13289340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImmerGladsss/pseuds/ImmerGladsss
Summary: Part 1: Maria Merryweather has just saved Moonacre Valley from its curse with the help of a once enemy, Robin De Noir. With the valley at peace, Maria has to adjust to a new life and finishing school. Little does she realize however that a great danger comes from afar. Maria x Robin. Inspired by the Little White Horse but based off the Secret of Moonacre movie.





	1. A Non-Threatening Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I, Immergladsss, do not own The Little White Horse nor the Secret of Moonacre nor the characters from either of those stories. Nor do I intend to claim them as my own. I am simply writing a story of how I wish a sequel to The Secret of Moonacre could have gone...I think I can only take credit for characters that are introduced chapter 4 and forwards...
> 
> As for the warnings, I'm honestly not sure if it is graphic depictions of violence, but I posted it, just to be safe. Also, this story was originally published on Fanfiction.net but I'm putting it up here as well :) 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Maria Merryweather, the Moon Princess, had just saved Moonacre Valley from a curse. A curse that would have ended everyone's life with the moon crashing down into the valley, had it not been for Maria's selfless sacrifice of her own. For despite what Robin De Noir claimed, breaking the curse had not been an easy thing to do. In fact, it had never been easy and Maria was the first Moon Princess to do it.  
This, she believed was because of Robin's help in finding the magical Moon pearls and protecting her from his father, as well as encouragement from Loveday De Noir, who had been the previous Moon Princess but was unable to break the curse herself.  
It was Mother Nature's love for Maria that brought her back to her family, safe from any harm.

The moon, no longer a catastrophic size, lit the way back to Merryweather Manor. It was a silent walk, filled with deep contemplation by everyone in the group. At Loveday's and Maria's request, her uncle, Sir Benjamin Merryweather, was left no choice but to invite Robin and his father, Mr. Coeur De Noir, to spend the night at the Manor. The De Noir Castle was after all too far out of the way. This made him and the two De Noir men very uncomfortable.  
Just this morning, the two families had fought hard to carry out a family feud. Yet Maria's sacrifice, brought a new perspective to the families. The sudden change in plans left the two grown men, who had devoted their entire lives to hating one another, at a loss as to what to do next. Neither knowing how much to trust nor how to behave.

Maria blamed their awkward behavior on pride. She shook her head at the thought and wondered how much longer until they got home. This though brought a smile to her face. When she first arrived, she had hated Moonacre Valley. But now, she couldn't see herself anywhere else. It was growing on her.

With every step Maria began to feel fatigue creeping up her body.

Well, it was only recently that I jumped off a cliff and sacrificed my life. Maria couldn't help suppressing a giggle, one that did not escape Robin's keen ears.

Without thinking, he walked over to Maria's side, "what's so funny, Princess?"

"Oh, I'm just thinking about how worried you must have been as I plunged off the cliff," Maria responded jokingly.

Robin furrowed his brow.  
An awkward silence fell upon them, Robin did not know how to reply. For reasons unknown to him, Maria's comment just tugged the pit of his stomach. His thoughts were interrupted as Maria stumbled, quickly he reached out his arm and caught her.

"It seems your plunge off the cliff wasn't enough, now you're ready to fall through the earth too." Robin laughed at his own little joke but Maria quickly straightened herself out, a blush creeping up her cheeks. Maria couldn't help it; her feet were losing strength. How desperately she wanted to get home.

Robin offered Maria his arm for support. She eyed him suspiciously, but was met with a sincere smile. Grateful for the assistance, Maria took his arm and found that with support on one side by Robin, and the other by Loveday, she could continue her way home.

Loveday looked to Robin and shot him a sly smile. He rolled his eyes and averted his eyes. Though he forced himself to maintain his eyes forwards, he couldn't stop himself from sneaking looks at Maria.  
He only wanted to make sure she was doing okay. Nothing of what Loveday was thinking.

Before they realized it, the manor came into view and Maria was filled with a spontaneous energy. Wrolf quickened his pace and began running towards home. Maria laughed and began running as well, pulling Robin along as Loveday loosened her hand and fell behind to walk besides Sir Benjamin.

Maria and Robin made it to the large wooden doors, hand in hand. Maria stumbled but this time, landed in Robin's open arms.

"Oh. Thank you," Maria quietly responded, blushing. She pulled herself up next to him. They leaned with their backs against the door, catching their breath. "It's a beautiful night Robin, just look at the moon!"  
Turning to him, she noticed his puzzled look.  
"What?" She asked.

"Yes, well now that the moon isn't about to kill us, I guess I too can appreciate it," he responded sarcastically. "It's interesting, your life was in danger only a few moments ago, by the very moon you now admire."

"All the more reason to appreciate it! Besides, it's not the only thing that tried to kill me today." Maria returned while Robin made a mocking face, aghast at the possible implication that he, Robin De Noir, would have been the one to do that. Both laughed at the ironic turn of events.

"I see you two have been getting along!" Loveday chimed, a large smile on her face, walking next to a very annoyed looking Sir Benjamin and apprehensive Mr. De Noir.

Maria's blush reappeared, noticing her close proximity to Robin. She took a step to the side away from him.

"Don't worry princess, I promise I won't bite." Robin winked at Maria, deepening her blush. He chuckled in response and moved out of the way to let Sir Benjamin and Digweed get to the door.

Maria looked annoyed.

How can he be so unaffected by Loveday's comments? A proper lady would never see herself alone with a new acquaintance, much less at such close proximity.  
Maria couldn't understand what was happening. She was still young after all, almost turning 14 come by the end of summer, and Robin was the first boy she came to know.  
I must compose myself as a proper lady, otherwise I'll have Ms. Heliotrope lecturing me for days!

But exhaustion had other plans.

Sir Benjamin led the party to the sitting room, where Maria quickly plumped down on the nearest sofa. She sighed with content at the immense relief her body felt at no longer having to carry itself.

"Maria! That is no proper way to behave, haven't I taught you better?" Ms. Heliotrope scolded, embarrassed that her pupil would conduct herself in such a manner.

"I'm sorry Ms. Heliotrope. I am incredibly tired."

"Then off to bed you should be going, young child!" Ms. Heliotrope commanded sitting herself down in an armchair and pointing towards the door.

Indignant at being called a child, Maria cried out, "oh no! I'm perfectly ok, not tired at all." Looking around for Robin and mustering all her energy, she sat herself up.  
Satisfied, Ms. Heliotrope focused her attention on the guests.

Loveday and Sir Benjamin sat together on another sofa, while Mr. De Noir took an armchair opposite Ms. Heliotrope. Robin, the last in the group, had nowhere else to sit but besides Maria. Loveday watched them both, biting a smile that reappeared on her beautiful face.

The adults maintained a polite conversation, Loveday doing her best to bridge a connection between Sir Benjamin and her father. Ms. Heliotrope seemed distracted, occasionally stealing glances at Digweed as he walked around the manor, readying the extra rooms.

Maria did her best to engage in conversation, asking Robin about what he did when he wasn't out kidnapping young girls.

With a smile, he told her about the forest. How he spent most of his days with his gang hunting and trapping. He told her about his friends, Henry, Richard, and David, and how he trusted them with his life. Robin mentioned he thought they might like her too but this sentence Maria failed to hear.  
Sleep began to take over Maria. Although she nodded and smiled at Robin, her mind was elsewhere, thinking of her bed, and the warmth of her blankets.  
Without control, Maria nodded off to sleep and nestled comfortably on Robin's shoulders, distracting him from his explanation of the various lessons he had to learn from his tutor. Robin looked down at the sleeping princess.  
Beautiful, he thought with a smile as he admired her shapely eyebrows, small nose, and her rosy lips.

Sir Benjamin cleared his throat, snapping Robin out of his thoughts. Loveday was now beaming with glee. Robin's ears burned with embarrassment, he was relieved his hat and curly hair hid his ears.

"Well it seems our moon princess must be put to bed!" Loveday whispered with mischief as she stood up. "Robin, please help carry Maria up to her room, Ill lead the way."

At this Sir Benjamin spoke, "That won't be necessary, I can take her —"

"Nonsense, you know you can't fit through that small door! But Robin can." Loveday interjected, leaving behind a disgruntled uncle.

Left without a choice, Robin carefully stood up and hoisted Maria into his arms. Noticing how much lighter she was in this dress that resembled Loveday's, than when he had tried to capture her in in her London dress. Maria stirred but didn't wake, instead she wrapped her arms around Robin, the burning sensation creeping down to his cheeks.

"This way little brother," Loveday led the way with a light gait at her feet. She was clearly enjoying herself.

"Loveday! What game are you playing at?" Robin angrily whispered.

"Huh?" Loveday innocently asked, but no one was fooled by that false smile.

"You know I'm already not in the best graces with either father or Sir Benjamin. This will make things worst!" Robin continued, his cheeks now flushed with anger and embarrassment.

"My dear brother, you're worried! Is it because their disapproval will hurt your feelings? Or is it because their disapproval may restrict a friendship with Maria?" Loveday squealed with delight.

Clearly, she was of no help to Robin.  
He grumbled under his breath and focused on Maria, making sure not to wake her. As they neared her tower Robin began to wonder how he was going to get their two bodies through that tiny door. He climbed up the stairs and opened the small door. Carefully, he turned Maria to face his chest, Robin smiled as Maria inhaled a deep breath.  
He braced himself and with all his strength and just managed to get through the door. Stepping lightly, he placed Maria on her bed, and gently moved some copper ringlets off her face. As he was walking away, he felt a tug at his hand. A sleeping Maria had managed to grab a hold of his finger. He gave her hand a soft squeeze and pulled from her hold, then walked out the room past a gushing Loveday.

"Shut it!" Robin commanded, not wanting to hear another word from his dearly beloved sister.

Down the hall the two De Noir siblings came across Digweed and Sir Benjamin, who were in the process of showing everyone their rooms. Robin's room was across the hall from Ms. Heliotrope's. Before he entered, Loveday gentle pulled him aside.

"Robin," Loveday placed a soft hand on his cheek. "You've grown so much. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you," Loveday said, sadness and tears filling her beautiful blue-grey eyes.

Robin gave a soft chuckle and looked off to the side, "don't worry about it Loveday. We all know how father is…" He trailed off.

Loveday pulled him into a loving embrace. "Thank you, for helping Maria. You did what I couldn't."  
Loveday released Robin and left to catch up with the others.

He hung his head and turned towards the door to his room, letting out a deep, long sigh.  
Were it not for his hair and bowler hat that shielded his eyes, a passerby would have noticed the forlorn look that painted his face and struggled to keep tears at bay. Before Loveday had left her De Noir family to marry Sir Benjamin, she was all that he had next to a mother figure. Loveday had always been the one to defend him from their father's anger. She was the only family he felt he truly had.  
When she left, he was heartbroken and angry, and his hatred for the Merryweathers intensified. He blamed Sir Benjamin for taking away his sister and leaving him to deal with his father's fury. He blamed the Merryweathers for all of the pain he was forced to endure.  
For the first time in a very long time, Robin had his sister back, and there was the possibility that he had even made a new friend too. One that only a few days ago he would have imagined impossible due to his Merryweather hatred.

Robin glanced down the hallway and stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. If someone were to ask him, why he helped Maria today, he wouldn't have been able to answer. He himself did not know. Robin was not a person to disregard instinct, and his instinct told him to help Maria, so that is what he did without reason or thought.

Robin placed his hat on the frame of his headboard and looked around the room. It was composed of simple yet elegant chestnut wooden furniture. His four poster bed was large and inviting and gave off a cozier feel than the coldness he was used to from the De Noir Castle.  
Quickly taking off his jacket, shirt and trousers, he jumped on to his bed which had been warmed, feeling a sense of hope he hadn't felt in a long time. He looked down his torso and saw his young body nicked with scars, over his left chest and right side, from the many brawls he had taken part in. When his father was in a bad disposition, Mr. De Noir would take out his anger on Robin. Then there was the matter of the general violence that surrounded the De Noir clan. Brawls over status, property, and women were too common. Moreover, despite being the De Noir heir, Robin was not immune to challenges from those who deemed him unworthy. More than twice he had been forced to accept these duels in order to prove himself to the clan. Other times, he had to jump into a brawl to stop it when it got out of hand.

Maybe now with Maria and the peace she's brought, this whole valley will calm down, he thought to himself. Just earlier today he was determined to capture Maria, and now he was in her home sleeping, with thoughts of reconciliation.

Curious of what the future held, he welcomed sleep.

Meanwhile, in a tower down the hall, up the spiral stairs, and past a tiny door just big enough for a Moon Princess, Maria was fast asleep. Her thoughts lingered on dreams of the forest, where she was walking alongside Wrolf and Periwinkle, her white pony, surrounded by a familiar scent of pinewood and earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I just want to say that this was my first every fanfiction. I started it about a year and a half ago and first published it on fanfiction.net. Since then, I've been trying to go back and make some edits after a few reviewers gave me some amazing feedback. One thing that has been said is that the beginning is a bit slow and hard to get into, so I thank you for sticking around. Hopefully, after about chapter 7, it gets a bit better. Hopefully. Please leave a comment/review, they really do help and I always look for ways to improve. Thank you!


	2. The Bird Boy and the Princess

Maria awoke the next morning feeling refreshed. She jumped out of bed and noticed she was still in yesterday's dress. Marmaduke's colorful cookies awaited her by her drawer as well as a warm bath. After cleaning herself up, she changed into a simple yet beautiful blue velvet and silver accent gown that awaited at the end of her bed. No doubt from Loveday. The blue dress contrasted handsomely with her reddish hair and pale, yet freckled, complexion.

Maria walked out her room and noticed how quiet it was. _  
Is everyone still asleep?_ She thought.  _I wonder where Robin is_ … Her thoughts trailed off as she decided to explore the gardens. Maria walked out of the manor into the grounds. She was strolling through the hedges blooming with flowers when suddenly, she had a feeling that she was being watched.

Cautiously, Maria circled around keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious. She could not see the culprit but the gut feeling remained.  
When she looked up, she found herself looking at a half-naked Robin! He was standing on his balcony in only his trousers! Maria gasped and quickly looked away. She was beginning to become all too familiar with the burning feeling of embarrassment that now settled on her face.

"Good morning Princess! How do you do today?" Robin called out. He confidently waved at her as he rested his other arm on the balcony.

Maria stole a quick glance. He was having the time of his life taunting poor Maria. His unruly curls framed his handsome face, his dark brown eyes shone bright, and his tan bare-chest gave Maria a feeling of vertigo.

"I— I am well, thank you, Robin." Maria looked away and focused her attention on the flowers.

"That is good to hear Princess. I am sorry for my current state, us De Noir aren't always the best mannered," Robin laughed. "Let me join, I promise I'll be much more presentable." Robin mockingly bowed and went back to his room.

She breathed a sigh of relief and tried to make her blush disappear.  
 _Stop it. He can't see you like this! Maria, get a hold of yourself.  
_ Maria walked towards the center of the garden and sat on the bench. She smoothed out the wrinkles on her dress and focused on thoughts other than those of Robin.

Wrolf came bounding towards her and was quickly followed by a running Robin. His signature bowler hat was placed firmly on his head and a few curls stuck out from underneath, his feathered scarf flew through the wind.  
 _How funny, he looks just like a bird. A bird boy._  Maria thought, relieved to find that he was wearing his black tunic and leather jacket once more.

Robin stopped in front of Maria and gave her a deep bow. "Fair Moon Princess, please forgive my shameful behavior and thank you for honoring me with your presence."

"Dear Bird Boy," Robin's smile faltered at her nickname for him.  
Maria returned the mocking with a deep curtsy of her own.  
"You are very welcome, but please do not do that again, for if Ms. Heliotrope or Uncle Benjamin were to catch you, my nickname won't be the only unpleasant sound in your ears."

Robin grimaced at the thought. "Come, let's go have breakfast. I smelled something delicious on my way out." Like a gentleman Maria would've never imagined he was, he offered her his arm.

"That would be Marmaduke's cooking. Nothing but the best!" Maria pretended to take Robin's arm but instead, she grabbed his hat and ran off in the direction of the manor as fast as she could. The constraints of her dress and inexperience in running didn't let her get far though. Before leaving the garden Robin easily caught up to her and blocked her path.

"Now, now, princess. Is that anyway for a proper lady to behave? You have something very special to me."

"What can I say, these De Noir manners are rubbing off on me," Maria grinned mischievously and attempted to side-step Robin.  
She was not quick enough. With an arm outstretched, Robin caught Maria by the waist and brought her to him. He pressed her back against his chest and with his other arm, he took the hat her hands.

"That would be mine," He said.  
Feeling his breath on her neck, Maria blushed at the closeness of their bodies and stopped struggling. She quickly covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

"Thank you, Moon Princess, for keeping it safe," he whispered in her ears as he placed his hat back on his head. Maria only squeaked in response.

Suddenly, Maria was released from his hold. She looked up from her hands to see a sheepishly looking Robin, then turned and met the gaze of a very angry Uncle. Loveday teetered on her toes beside Sir Benjamin. Her hands were clasped to her mouth in a failed attempt to mask her grin, she was clearly enjoying herself.

Maria paled.

"We were coming out to make sure you were feeling better from yesterday's adventure and to inform you breakfast is ready, but I see you've been getting along well." Sir Benjamin scowled at Maria.

"Yes Uncle, thank you. We were just heading in. Excuse me." Maria filled with shame timidly excused herself and rushed back to the estate.

"Good Morning Sir Benjamin, Morning Loveday," Robin nodded to them both, "excuse me".

"I'm watching you, boy!" Sir Benjamin called out to Robin.

"Benjamin," Loveday laughed, "they are just children!"

"No, Loveday. Maria is a child. She is not yet 14 and still has to finish her schooling. Your brother, on the other hand, is well underway to being a young man."

Understanding, Loveday weakly nodded.

Robin, who had heard everything, paled at the thought.  _What am I thinking! Sh_ _e is just a girl, and a young one at that!  
_ Ashamed at his forwardness, Robin reached Maria in deep contemplation.

_SMACK._ _  
_"Ow!" Robin said as he rubbed his chest.

"Robin how could you, I am so ashamed! I—"

"I'm sorry, Maria". His seriousness snapped Maria out of her tirade.

"I'm sorry for being such a fool, I would never want to disgrace your name. Please forgive me." Robin's face was pained. He gave her a sincere bow and walked away towards the dining room leaving a stunned Maria.

Maria followed Robin and sat herself across from him, besides Ms. Heliotrope.

"Good morning my dear, are you ok? You look distressed."

"Good morning Ms. Heliotrope, thank you I am very well today. It's such a beautiful day." Maria forced a smile to her loving tutor.

Loveday and Sir Benjamin walked in and were soon followed by a happier looking Mr. De Noir. Greetings were sent all around the table and Marmaduke's delicious cooking was served. Without Loveday's assistance, Mr. De Noir was actively engaged in conversation with Sir Benjamin about various observations he had made regarding the Merryweather Manor.  
Ms. Heliotrope and Loveday were busy talking about wedding preparations.  
Robin, on the other hand was very quiet. Occasionally looking at Sir Benjamin in apprehension. All this Maria noticed. Something was wrong.

Suddenly, with an idea, Maria stole a glance at a grim looking Robin, and then asked "Ms. Heliotrope, Uncle, I feel as though I am still recovering from yesterday's ordeal. May I ask for the day off from my studies?"

"Certainly," Uncle responded, while Ms. Heliotrope burped in agreement. "But what do you have planned for today?" He continued.

"I was hoping to take a stroll through Mr. De Noir's forest, now that no De Noir is attempting to kidnap me. May I Uncle, and with your permission as well Mr. De Noir?" Maria asked Sir Benjamin and Robin's father, failing to note how pale Robin got at the mention of her kidnapping.

"Of course, my dear girl, it is the least I can do," Mr. De Noir smiled kindly at Maria. She returned the smiled but noticed how strange it was to be smiled at by such an imposing man. One who had previously tried to kill her.

"How will you be safe though, Maria? You do not know the woods yet," Uncle interjected.

"Oh, I was hoping Robin could give me a tour." Maria beamed, proud of her plan. Robin's stomach lurched at the mention of his name. He cautiously turned to look at Sir Benjamin who was now glaring at him. Loveday placed an arm gently on Sir Benjamin's shoulders to ease him.

"What a wonderful idea! No one knows the woods better than my son!" Mr. De Noir clapped his hand on Robin's back.

The sudden mention of "my son" and Sir Benjamin's glare sent Robin into a coughing fit. Mr. De Noir continued to smack his back and Maria rushed over offering him some water. Sir Benjamin was carefully watching the two.

_Great. Now that I finally have my father's approval, Sir Benjamin hates my guts,_ _t_ hought Robin.

Quickly finishing up their breakfast Maria and Robin got up to leave.

"Maria, before you leave I must tell you something," Sir Benjamin called out. "Since your arrival to Moonacre, Ms. Heliotrope and I have been discussing your future. As you know, you being in the countryside does not mean your lessons and preparation to becoming a lady of an estate will be discontinued.  
"Because Ms. Heliotrope now feels she has done all that she can, we have decided the next best course of action will be finishing school in London, this upcoming fall once you turn 14."

Maria's face fell and the room began to spin. She reached out for something to hold but fell against Robin. The familiar smell of pine and earth stopped her thoughts from reeling. Robin, she now recognized the familiarity of the smell. She regained her balanced and straightened herself up. She was confused.  
Of course, finishing school had been planned since before coming to Moonacre, but now she couldn't see herself being anywhere else. This was her home. Moonacre was where all those she loved could be found. She didn't want to leave.

"But—but Uncle. I can't leave. Moonacre is my home."

"And Moonacre will always be your home, but you must continue your schooling. You must grow into a proper young lady. This will ensure you a bright future should anything happen to Ms. Heliotrope or me. You have three more months here, spend them well." Sir Benjamin continued with stern determination.

Tears filled her eyes as Maria looked around the room. Robin was busy looking at the floor and refused to make eye contact. He was experiencing a lot of remorse and felt that his earlier actions may have contributed to this final decision.  
Loveday, Mr. De Noir, and Ms. Heliotrope were smiling at the idea. They believed finishing school was the perfect opportunity for Maria to grow into a beautiful young lady.

"Don't worry Maria, I went to finishing school myself and met my closest friends there. You'll be back before you know it!" Loveday beamed.

But it seemed that no one else understood how distraught Maria felt. Maria rushed out of the manor. Robin looked up and met Sir Benjamin's eyes who only nodded his consent. Robin turned to run after Maria, following her into the woods.


	3. A Rude Introduction

"How could they!" Maria cried, "I haven't been here more than a month and they already want to send me away."  
Maria had run deep into the woods. She didn't know where and she didn't care. She sat down against a large tree sinking to the grown, cradling her knees and crying.

"Maria!" Robin yelled from off in the distance.

But Maria didn't want to speak to him. He had ignored her all throughout breakfast, why should she pay him any attention now. She thought of London and for a brief moment, hope filled her heart. She did miss London after all. And the countryside was… well, it's the countryside. In London, Maria would be able to see her old home, her old friends. But then she remembered the crowd, the smell, the buildings, and just as quickly her heart sank. She gazed at her surroundings and knew she would miss Moonacre, the trees, the freedom.

_I don't want to leave…_ Her eyes caught sight of a moving figure, Robin. He had found her and was making his way towards her. Maria sat herself up and wiped away her tears.  
Despite Robin's determined walk, there was sympathy and sadness in his eyes. As he reached her, he sat down beside her.

"Maria, you can't be running off like that. Do you even know where you are? What if you got lost and I— _we_  couldn't find you?"

"Not like you or anyone else would care, I'm sure you're just as happy to be rid of me as everyone else is," Maria sniffed, a tear fell down her cheek. Robin gently wiped it away.

"No Maria, who else will I torment with embarrassment? I was just beginning to like being your nuisance." Robin teased her, a mischievous grin on his face.  
"Besides, we have three months left. I give you my word that I will show you every inch of this forest I so know and love. You will have so many memories of it, you will grow tired and look forwards to London."

Maria scoffed at the idea, she didn't believe she could ever grow tired of the forest. She knew she would come to love it as Robin does.

"Come with me. My father and I are leaving past noon back to the castle. I want to begin your tour of the forest as soon as possible," he offered her his hand.  
A smile now appeared on Maria's face. She quickly swiped off his hat and placed it on her head.

"Don't you think that joke is getting a bit old?" Robin rolled his eyes.

"Impossible, now that I only have a few months left here in Moonacre, I must make sure to take advantage of being  _your_  nuisance every bit that I can as well." Maria proudly smiled, her cheeks glistened from her tears. "Besides, it looks much better on me."

Feeling better, Maria took his hand and gestured for Robin to lead the way. He shrugged and let her wear the hat, she did look charming in it after all.  
Despite her young age, Maria carried herself as well as any other fine lady. If it weren't for her petite size many would be fooled by her real age.

Shaking his head Robin led the way through the woods.

Throughout their walk, they spoke of many things. Maria was surprised to discover how easy it was to talk to him. As he promised the day he joined her side, Robin did listen well.  
He asked her questions about her childhood and Maria began to detail her life. Her mother died when she was an infant and left her in the care of Ms. Heliotrope. Her governess promised Maria's mother to raise her to be a proper, and noble, young woman.  
Their relationship had at first been strained. Maria demonstrated a stubborn and overzealous spirit Ms. Heliotrope was unused too, and Maria found Ms. Heliotrope to be overbearing and annoying. Especially with all her complaints about her indigestion. Eventually, though their love for one another grew, and Maria came to love Ms. Heliotrope as her own mother.

Robin too spoke to Maria about his own mother. She had died when he was four. He was left to be cared for by his nanny, loved by Loveday, and taught by his tutor Mr. Havisham.

Both Robin and Maria did not have active father figures. Maria's father, Colonel Merryweather, spent his days in London gambling instead of doting over his only child. He was killed by an unknown murderer sent by one of his debt collectors. The rumors she heard from the maids was that her father's was a brutal death, and the debt collector was still unsatisfied with the Merryweathers. Robin realized that had been the funeral he had attended when he was first spying on Maria.  
Like Maria's father, Robin's father was also absent most of the time. Mr. De Noir was not involved in Robin's upbringing which Robin had not minded due to Mr. De Noir's history of violence.

Their conversation carried them far and before both realized it, they had arrived at their destination for the day, the first Moon Princess' hideaway where Maria had found the pearls.

With a playful smile on his face, Robin stood by the door and gestured towards the small hole underneath the large old twisted tree, "after you."

"Why, thank you." Maria giggled and crawled underneath.

Robin followed and they soon found themselves back in the small hideaway. Without Mr. De Noir's henchmen following them, Robin and Maria were free to admire and investigate the little place. Maria found a weathered old brush and a few cooking wares near a makeshift fireplace most likely used by the first Moon Princess.  
The first Moon Princess lived her days here after she escaped from her De Noir and Merryweather families. It was a sacrifice she made to protect the Moon Pearls and their power from the two families' greed.

Robin discovered that although it was under a tree, the room seemed to be a small cavern. They soon found that the passage leading to the amphitheater by the cliffs diverged into many other paths. Although curious to discover where each path led, Robin reminded Maria that he had to return her back to Sir Benjamin before noon. At her crestfallen face, he promised Maria they would be back to do more exploring.

Back out in the forest, Robin showed her how to get here from the Merryweather estate. As he was explaining the various landmarks to note, they heard approaching footsteps. Robin protectively stood in front of Maria but he quickly relaxed noticing who came towards them.

Three bobbing bowler hats, much like Robin's, came trotting their way.

"Oy Robin!" Called out a boy who wore a bowler hat with gold studs along the middle, his dark straight chin-length hair sticking out from underneath masked his eyes.  
Maria recognized him as the one who had grabbed her when she first found Serena, her rabbit before she was saved by Wrolf. Maria hid behind Robin.

"We've been looking all over for you! Heard you and your father were over at the Merryweather Estate, couldn't believe our ears!—Wait, where's your hat?" He was accompanied by two other boys. One was a tall blond with piercing blue eyes who wore a fauxhawk underneath his plain black bowler hat. A dashing smile appeared as he noticed Robin.  
The last boy was tan with green eyes. He had short curly hair, who like the rest of the bandits, wore underneath a bowler hat.

"Don't tell us you've gone soft on the Merryweathers?" Cried out the blond one noticing a hidden skirted figure behind Robin.

"What can I say?" Robin shrugged his shoulders and stepped aside to reveal a hidden Moon Princess wearing his bowler hat.

Shocked at being revealed so unexpectedly, Maria straightened herself, and with all her bravery stared straight at the boys. The boys, who did not expect to find Robin with a Merryweather, stopped abruptly. Then the curly haired one spoke up,

"Ah, the little witch, brought her to finish the job?" he asked with a sinister smile.

Maria glared at the boy and Robin stepped in between Maria and his friends.

"Don't you dare call her a witch, David!" Robin shot back with a glare. "Haven't you heard from Dulac? The families are at peace, and we all owe are lives to her.  
"Boy's meet Maria Merryweather, the Moon Princess. Maria, meet Henry, Richard, and David. My friends." Robin said as he pointed to the boy with the studded hat, the boy with the blonde hair, and the boy who had insulted her.

Maria and Robin's friends cautiously eyed each other, neither wanting to trust one another. Robin shook his head until finally, Henry took a few slow steps forwards.

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Merryweather," Henry said with a polite smile and a short nod. "If Robin finds you trustworthy, then I will too."

Maria managed a smile and returned a small curtsy.

Richard then stepped forwards and took her hand, "it is an honor to meet you, Moon Princess." Richard gave her a deep bow, "please excuse my friend's lack of manners, not all of us De Noir are savages." He finished with a wink.  
Maria giggled and curtsied in response, much to Robin's irritation.

Lastly, David turned to Maria, his face unreadable. "Miss Merryweather," he said forcefully with a nod.

Maria returned the nod, her instinct warning her not to trust this stranger.

Satisfied with the introductions, Robin spoke up, "Gang, my father and I will be heading back to the De Noir Castle past noon. We can meet then. For now, I have to take Maria back to the Merryweather Manor."

Richard and Henry both arched their eyebrows at Robin, while David narrowed his eyes at Maria. Robin absentmindedly waved to his friends and turned to lead Maria away from the Moon Princess' dwelling and walked off in the direction of the manor.  
They left a fairly impressed group of bandits.

When they were far enough away, David exclaimed "what is Robin going on about! Hanging around with a Merryweather like that." He pointed in the direction Maria and Robin had left. "She has bewitched him I tell you! He's lost his head!"

"Don't let him hear you say that or he'll beat the pulp out of you," Henry responded. He was busy looking at the sky and didn't seem to mind the new turn of events. "I wouldn't worry too much about the girl, she's tiny—"

"And feisty!" Richard interjected with an impish look in his eye. "How much you wanna bet it's her fire that's attracted good ol' Robin." He walked over and leaned on David with an arm over his shoulder. "She's bewitched him all right, but not with magic…I myself wouldn't mind being in her company."

"But she's a little witch! And his hat, she was wearing it! He never lets anyone near the damn thing!" Continued David in frustration. He angrily shrugged Richard's arm off.

"Oh, give it a couple of years. Soon she'll be a beautiful lady witch and Robin won't be the only one charmed by her." Richard continued. A wishful smile appeared on his face, and with his hands in his pockets, he walked off towards the De Noir castle.

Henry who was now carefully apprehending David shrugged his shoulders and followed Richard. David was left no other choice but to kick a nearby tree before following the two.

Innocent of David's misgivings, Maria and Robin made their way back to the Merryweather estate. Robin carefully instructed Maria on how to navigate the forest and what to do should she get lost. Occasionally, Robin would stop Maria, and require her to perfectly repeat his directions. By the time the two reached the Merryweather estate, Maria had forgotten all about finishing school and her worries about David. They arrived to find Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope actively engaged in planning, but not too engaged so that Loveday noticed Robin's hat on Maria's head.

"Just in time for afternoon tea!" Ms. Heliotrope said, leading everyone into the tea room.

Maria related the day's adventures to the ladies, excluding the detail about being in the hideaway unchaperoned with Robin. The two women listened attentively. Robin who was not interested in tea and looking forwards to being with his gang of bandits, said his goodbyes. With promises of meeting Maria in a few days, he reclaimed his hat from the top of Maria's head and left to search for Mr. De Noir. As he left the room Loveday coyly raised an eyebrow at Maria.  
Maria rolled her eyes and informed the two ladies that she was incredibly tired. She excused herself to go to her bedroom.

Maria walked through the hallway and up the stairs to her little tower. As she passed by the portrait of the Moon Princess, she smiled at her and then continued through the tiny door.  
In her room, she found freshly baked biscuits and some milk, no doubt from the wonderful Marmaduke. Maria walked to her window and leaned out. She took in the beauty of the trees, the far-off ocean, and hills that surrounded her. A few moving figures caught her eye and with a smile, she recognized Robin and his father heading into the forest.

Before reaching the edge, Robin turned around and saw Maria. He gave her a smile and small wave before being consumed by the shadows of the trees. Although he could no longer see her, Maria waved back, butterflies filling her heart.


	4. A Business of Peace

Robin and Coeur De Noir walked through the forest in silence. Robin realized this was the first time he was alone with his own father. On an ordinary day, Dulac or some other important person was always at his side. For despite the rough manners the De Noir were known for, they were also very capable business people. As well as owning a large part of Moonacre forest, the De Noirs owned a shipping company that provided the only source of seafood and sea-trade to Silverydew, the village of Moonacre Valley. Unfortunately, when the Merryweathers and De Noirs feuded so long ago, the De Noirs restricted sea-trade with Silverydew as punishment.

Before the end of the curse, when Mr. De Noir wasn't busy planning the Merryweather downfall, he was in his office or at the harbor negotiating business with nearby seaports.  
Likewise, as the De Noir heir, when Robin wasn't out hunting or planning Maria's kidnapping, he was busy with his tutor, Mr. Havisham, learning about the nature of business and what it meant to own a shipping company.

Now that the two families were pursuing peace and the De Noirs were no longer plotting the Merryweather downfall, some changes would have to take place in their lives.

It was thoughts of these changes that were currently preoccupying Mr. De Noir's mind. As they neared their destination, he broke the silence that had carried them so far, "Robin, I've been speaking with Sir Benjamin, and I have come to realize you are becoming a man."

Puzzled, Robin raised his eyebrow and gave his father a sidelong glance.  
He did not know what to think of Mr. De Noir's statement and was only able to muster an awkward chuckle in response. Robin could not see what brought this sudden realization that he was growing up, or what Sir Benjamin had anything to do with it. Maybe his father had just realized he was going to turn 18 in the winter, Mr. De Noir had never been one to remember his children's birthdays or age. Or perhaps Mr. De Noir, walking alongside Robin, came to realize Robin was almost surpassing him in height.

No that can't be… I wonder Robin thought. Suddenly, he recalled the morning's events with Maria. Robin's stomach flipped and all blood rushed down from his head to his feet, he dreaded the next words and braced himself to be punished for having gotten close to a Merryweather as his sister did.

At not receiving a response Coeur De Noir continued, "now that we are working towards peace it is time to begin trading with Silverydew once more. I want you to oversee the trade."

Robin stopped in his tracks, "Wait—What? You want me to run the trade?" Robin asked. Although he was relieved there was no mention of Maria, or any violent reaction, he was still in disbelief that his father would trust him with such a responsibility. "But I've never done that before, I've never even seen how you run the seaports!"

"Yes. Sir Benjamin and I agree it will be a perfect opportunity for you to gain some true responsibility and understand the workings of a commercial world. Mr. Havisham is well adept at trade. I believe you will do well to learn from him. Beginning tomorrow, Mr. Havisham will focus his instruction to ensure you master trading. Not only that, but he will be much more rigorous in your teaching of French—"

Robin groan, despite having the French surname, he hated French. He truly believed there were too many unnecessary letters and its pronunciation was an entirely new language of its own.

By now the two were in sight of the De Noir Castle.

"France has been an important asset to the De Noir trade! Besides, have some appreciation for your roots." Mr. De Noir lectured.  
"Moreover," continued Mr. De Noir, "if you ever plan on courting that Merryweather girl, then you will have a lot to show for. I will not have my son be considered a dolt by others than myself! You will learn to trade, and should you go after Maria, you will be at her level, if not more!" At this Mr. De Noir stormed away to the castle.

Blood rushed to his face at the mention of courting Maria. Robin felt as if he had been struck by multiple realities.  
For one, there was the small possibility Robin had finally gained his father's approval. This conversation was the second time he had been referred to as a 'son' and not by any other obscene name his father would come up with. Even if it was followed by "dolt" it still felt like an improvement to the boy who had only last night been disowned for helping Maria.  
Then there was the idea of him running a trade. Although it had been expected of him to one day learn the ways of the business, he had assumed it would be sea-trade, and not until 4 more years when he turned 21. Even then, like most rich heirs assume, Robin thought he would only be in charge of commanding someone else who truly understood the trade. Trading was an immense responsibility. One that he wasn't sure he could handle.  
And finally, Maria.

Maria. Courting her? He thought. He admitted to himself that when he was with Maria he experienced strange feelings...

When Maria plunged off the cliff, his heart felt as if all warmth and hope had been ripped right out. He didn't understand why but he felt such an attachment towards her, one that made him feel that he needed to protect her at all costs. She was his friend after all. A charming and beautiful one, but a friend nonetheless. Yet these feelings weren't those for a friend. Well, at least Robin didn't realize that yet. They were both so young, and he was still ashamed of himself for having been so forwards this morning, how could he even consider such ideas. This brought up mixed feelings: elation and hope, hushed by denial and inexperienced confusion.

Robin was so lost in his thoughts he failed to notice his friends walking towards him. The boys had been seated along the castle wall when they saw an angry Mr. De Noir storm into the castle. They knew a brooding Robin must be nearby.

"Why so serious, Robin?" Greeted Henry, snapping Robin out of his thoughts. "Only this morning you were smiling your ears off."

Robin ignored the comment as he waved them over.

"Ah don't mind him, he's probably just missing Miss Maria!" Laughed Richard.

Robin glared at Richard, "lay off, will you? The Merryweathers are no more to me than the next family over." David kept silent, not wanting to perturb Robin anymore.  
Despite what Robin said the boys couldn't help but glance at one another, clearly doubting their friend's feelings. Robin wasn't one to show his sentiments, but these were his friends who had known him for most of his life. If Robin wasn't Robin, they knew.

"Come with me." Robin walked back into the forest, momentarily leaving behind a puzzled group of young bandits. They were left with no other choice but to follow.

And so the gang of young plunderers and thieves walked further into the forest with Robin in lead. He was closely followed by a very observant Henry.  
Henry considered himself to be Robin's best mate. His father was one of Mr. De Noir's most trusted friends, often going off on trading expeditions out at sea for Mr. De Noir. During these expeditions, Henry would stay with Robin and therefore, the two had grown up together since they were children. Yet at the moment, even he was having a hard time understanding what was going on with Robin. He was curious to discover what could have caused such a sudden change in an old friend.

They arrived at a small clearing in the trees where there was a fallen tree trunk surrounded by a few large rocks and a boulder. The sunlight streaming through the canopy illuminated Robin's pensive state. Robin leaned against a tree and the rest of the gang sat around him.

"My Father wants me to begin trading with the villagers," Robin finally explained. "He said it's so that I can be responsible and grow-up."

"Well would you look at that, our Robin is becoming a man!" Richard said. "It was about time you started doing more than kidnapping girls." the boys snickered at Richard's tease, much to Robin's annoyance.

"Anyways, I was thinking, would you all want to join me?" Robin said, looking at his three friends. "I could use some help, and I figured with establishing a new form of business I best start gaining some trustworthy partners."

"Count me in." Smiled Henry.

"Me too," chimed David.

"Well I guess one day I'll be old, and not as great as a hunter, sure I'll need some other way to make money!" responded Richard.

They talked about business for a while. Each commenting their own thoughts of what they believed a business was, occasionally sharing a laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Neither could imagine anyone of the group serious enough to run a trade, or any sort of business for that matter.  
Well, perhaps Henry or David would be the most capable. They were always the more focused of the group.

Henry learned early on from his dad a few skills needed when dealing with people. Some good...and some not so nice… People could be sly, and Henry was the first to notice. It was for this reason Robin wanted his help the most. He trusted no one more than Henry. With Henry's brains and knowledge, Robin knew he would soon have a good hand over the trade.  
David, having been a servant before, had no desire to go back. He knew his way out of poverty was to work hard and the best opportunity was with his friends.

As for Robin and Richard…their priorities could use some rearranging.  
Richard preferred to spend his days hunting for food, or for the beautiful girls of Moonacre Valley. Although Robin was a natural born leader and pretty clever himself, he spent his days avoiding his father or tutor, preferring to explore some unknown area of Moonacre Valley than take up a De Noir responsibility. Robin even had a habit of ignoring the Moonacre girls who would swoon at his feet, a trait Richard did not mind, for he was sure to be there and catch them in their time of despair.

"Well as interesting as our future is, enough with this business talk. Are you going to tell us what's going on with you and that Merryweather girl?" asked David. He wore a skeptical expression and was doing his very best to sound cordial.

Unlike Henry or Richard, David didn't grow up with Robin and therefore was reluctant to tease him in any way. He feared his De Noir fury.  
He had been a servant's son and had spent most of his early years working as an errand boy's for Mr. De Noir. He was surrounded by talk regarding the Merryweather evil and how they had brought misfortune to the De Noirs. This environment nurtured a hatred for the Merryweathers that ran deep. It wasn't until he was ten years old that he joined Robin's group of friends.  
While running an errand, he had impressed Robin with his stealth. Knowing their hunting could use David's skill, Robin asked him to help on one of their early hunts and David soon became one of the bandits.

Robin sighed and walked over to sit next to his friends. He hoped his friends would understand the events of yesterday and would also make peace with the Merryweathers. The best way he figured was to be completely honest with them, well sort of.  
He began his story when he first agreed to help Maria, avoiding the part where Maria caught him in a tree-spring noose trap. This detail he would never admit to his friends. Robin explained how Maria managed to convince him to help her and how together they found the moon pearls in the hideaway. They boys were surprised to learn of Maria's sacrifice and how everyone at the amphitheater had thought she died until the horses from the sea brought her back to them. The group was impressed. Even David was beginning to doubt his misgiving of Maria, if she was willing to jump off a cliff for a group of people she barely knew, she must not be that bad after all.

"Now, Maria won't be here long, and I have promised to show her as much of Moonacre as possible. That is why you found us earlier together. " Finished Robin.

"Where is she going?" interrupted Henry.

"Her uncle is sending her away to finishing school come this fall. Says it's so she can be a lady," Robin rolled his eyes and tossed a tuff of dirt he had grabbed. "I think that's why my father wants me to learn how to trade. Wants me to be at 'her level' or something." Robin mumbled dryly.

"Well it makes sense if you ask me. She is a 'proper London lady' after all" said Richard.

"Besides, didn't Loveday go to finishing school too? Right before she ran off to marry that Merryweather" added Henry.

"Oh right, she hadn't been back for too long either," Finished David.

Henry got up and stretched his legs, "Look on the bright side Robin, even after she's gone you'll still have us around. Won't have to miss her too much."

"Quit it with that already, Maria is barely only a friend—and she's young—why would you assume anything?" Snapped Robin.

"Well if you don't want her let me have a go at her, I quite like her spirit—"

"Don't you dare," glared Robin at Richard.

"Alright, alright, Robin," said Richard, his hands raised in surrender with a large smile on his face. There was a roguish look to his eye, which Robin didn't quite like.

The gang always knew Richard attracted all the girls. He was popular with the girls for the very opposite reason Robin was. With his blue eyes and natural charm, he had no trouble getting any girl to fall for him, something which Robin did not like when thinking of Maria. Of course, this was only because he was looking out after her. Every girl that had dealt with Richard ended with a broken heart.  
In his head, Robin told himself he had no other possible intention for which to keep Richard away from Maria. She was still very young, he needed to keep her away from any trouble, at least that's what Robin told himself.

"Well, while you lot argue over a girl, David and I are going to head back and have us some food." Henry and David got up and walked towards the castle.

Richard laughed, "come now Robin, doubt you've had anything to eat." He offered Robin a hand who took it. They followed Henry and David out of the forest.

"Oh and Robin, if you need any help showing Miss Merryweather around let us know! I'm sure we can make her last few months entertaining!" Called out Henry.

The rest joined in agreement, coming up with various adventures to take Maria on. Even David managed to muster a smile at the thought.


	5. Beware the Talons

Across the sea, far from Moonacre Valley, the moon was the only light illuminating a dark forest. The few rays of moonlight that crossed the heavy canopy casted shadows along the forest floor. The shadows stretched across the ground, reaching for the dark hooded figure making its way through the trees.  
The figure moved slowly. Its black, heavy, cloak disturbed the forest floor. Yet despite its movements, no leaves were cracked…no twigs were snapped…  
Even the forest had held its breath and stood silent. There was no sound that could be heard, that is except for the slow raspy breath that escaped the creature.

Food… nearby. I can smell it. It knew just beyond the trees, it would find its next meal. It needed to find its meal.

Along the outskirts of the forest, traced a road traveled by merchants making their way north to the harbor. On this particular night however, not many chose to travel.

There had been rumors—whispers—among the traders and village folk. Something was out there in the forest, when it had arrived, no one knew. But it was there. Lurking.  
Carcasses of deer had been found by hunters, ripped apart, with only the insides missing. Many animals had fled, leaving a desolate forest. Merchants and travelers wanting to return safe to their families decided to stay at inns over the night, risking profit over their lives. Others took them for what they were, rumors spread by disgruntled hunters who had failed to find game or townsfolk with nothing better to do. Those chose to continue their journey.

A campfire broke the darkness by the route. Three caravans enclosed it, blocking the wind. The campfire was surrounded by men sitting hunched over the fire. Despite the successful trade earlier in the day, there was a feeling of tension held over the campsite.

A man with a weathered cap over dark graying hair, scruff along his face, and a greying mustache looked around the group of men who surrounded him. His dark eyes took notice of the fear in his companions' eyes. These men were hardened merchants with years under their belt, yet looking at them now, he wouldn't have believed that.  
A few weeks ago, when he began his journey north with his men, they observed with curious interest a lack of merchants or travelers on the road. In fact, they had gotten so used to the solitude, it took his men by surprise when they crossed paths with two other groups a few days ago. Normally, this would have urged the merchants to travel faster and beat the others to the harbor. But acknowledging this strange case, they all decided to travel together, seeing as no one else would be coming along the path.

"Unless I'm wrong, I would say you lot wished you had stayed at an inn too, huh?" His mustache twitched as he huffed the last word.

The merchants all looked to one another, struggling to find a defense. One of his own men, a younger man, with shaggy brown hair named Luke, spoke up.

"Harold you can't be denying what people 'ave been saying. We're just worried 'tis all."

"And what's that good for? Worrying won't make the rumors go away. Besides you all had your say before we left the town. Not one of you said you wanted to stay."

The men turned away, glancing down at the fire instead. It's true what he said. They had stopped at a village 20 miles down south from their campsite earlier. Harold had given them a choice, but with a warning attached. Whatever was lost in profit would be taken from their wages. The men had chosen money over safety.

Shaking his head at this nonsense Harold rose up. "I'm going to take a walk, we leave at daybreak, so I suggest you use your night for sleep and not worrying."

Harold brushed off his trousers and walked out of the caravan's safety. As he made his way over to the forest, he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. His thoughts flashed to the rumors. His breathing stopped.  
His heart beat rapidly.  
He stood still and quiet, straining his eyes to focus, forcing his ears to pick up a noise, anything. He stood watching, waiting.

Nothing. He didn't see anything, he didn't hear anything. Slowly his breathing returned, his heart began to ease the pounding in his chest. Harold took a deep breath and let it out as a chuckled relief.

Of course there was nothing, he thought.

Harold returned to walking towards the forest. He was embarrassed and glad no one was there to see him. For a second, he thought he had seen something glide out of the forest. For a second, fear had clung to his heart. He shuddered at the thought. As he reached the forest he noticed the eerie quietness that clung to the trees. Neither the hoot of an owl was heard nor the rustling of rodents along the forest floor. It was unnatural.

Harold cautiously stepped over large twigs, trying to blend into the silence. As he entered the forest, a tightness grasped on to his chest, something was wrong.  
He could feel the agitation in the forest.  
He looked over his surroundings.  
A twitching caught his eyesight.  
There was something on the ground, a few feet from him. He edged closer.

Under the feint moonlight, he saw the paw of some rodent laying on its underside. He kicked it over and stepped back in disgust. The rodent was ripped apart and its innards had been taken out. Leftovers littered the ground. Fresh blood stained the fallen leaves. He was trying to figure out what desperate animal could have done this when frantic cries of neighing horses broke the silence, followed by a piercing scream cut too short.

Harold broke into a sprint and saw men scrambling out of the campsite. Some jumped on horses, abandoning the caravans. Others bolted on their feet down the road.

At the campsite, he was met with horror. A horse laid on the ground gasping for breath, its belly had been slashed open. Near the horse was a man surrounded by blood. His stomach had been torn into too. Fire had spilled over and caught on one of the caravans.

"Harold! Harold, help me!"

Harold looked up. Through the smoke, he saw a hooded figure dragging Luke and another limp body to the forest. Luke struggled to escape, but he was injured, holding his sides to stop the bleeding. Thinking fast, Harold grabbed a long thick flaming branch from the fire and ran to the monster.

His heart pounding in his ears, Harold jumped and landed a blow to the creature's head knocking it down.

The creature's hood caught on fire. A raspy shriek escaped from the creature as it raised its arms in defense and brushed away the fire. Luke kicked at the creature and scrambled away with Harold's help.

Harold readied himself and rushed towards the creature, raising the torch high above his head.

As he was about to land another hit, when the creature raised a withered white arm with long black talons. It shouted strange unknown words.

Harold was flung through the air, as though hit by an invisible force. The creature slung the limp body of the man on its back and quickly slid back to the forest.

Harold rushed to Luke's side, inspecting him.  
"We have to get out of here. Luke can you make it? The next town is 10 miles north. There is a doctor we can go to there."

"Don't worry about me," Luke struggled to speak, he was sweating. "'Tis just a scratch." Luke lifted his shirt to reveal a gash at side while managing a faint smile. It was long, but not deep.

Harold raised Luke over his shoulder and together they ran to the campsite.

"What happened?" Harold demanded.

"We heard…. A lot of commotion. The horses. They were tense." Luke strained himself to speak.  
"Then one of the caravan's horses…started going nuts. Screaming. Horrible. Fred went to go check. He was killed by that bloody creature. It killed someone else." Luke just managed to say as he gasped in pain and slumped onto the caravan.

Harold helped him in and then quickly gathered the remaining horses. The injured horse was still suffering. With a heavy heart, he grabbed his pistol from the caravan and hated himself for not having thought of it earlier. He ran to the wounded horse and kneeled next to it. Harold gave it a few gentle strokes along its head, whispering words of comfort. Once the horse's breathing had calmed, he took a few steps back and fired a single shot that range through the night.

Jumping onto the caravan, Harold whipped the horses to a run. The horses shot into action, speeding along the road, their agitation pushed them faster. The caravan bounced as it made its way across the night into the next city.


	6. A Head in the Clouds

A few days…. A few days. Are those 3 days, or more…?

"Maria! Pay attention to your studies!" Snapped Ms. Heliotrope, bringing Maria back down to earth.

It had been almost a week since she last saw Robin. With each day that passed, she found herself going to their last moment together when he promised to see her again. To her, a few days was about three days. But this was Robin, and Robin didn't fit with convention. For all Maria knew, it could be weeks before Robin made his appearance again.

Maria sighed, "I'm sorry Ms. Heliotrope. I have been incredibly distracted lately."

"It's that De Noir boy, isn't it?"

"No!" Maria quickly responded, embarrassed at having been found out so quickly, "and his names Robin. I've just been thinking of Loveday's and Uncle's wedding. It's going to be wonderful!"

"Hmph," Ms. Heliotrope studied Maria. "Well, I do suppose you are right about that. It will be a beautiful wedding. But please Maria, you must pay attention."

Maria nodded and returned back to reading Beauty and the Beast, by Madame Vaudeville. She shook her head, trying to wake herself up and focus on the book. She was practicing her French, for as well as French Needlepoint, every well-bred lady must have some mastery over the romantic language. Maria carefully read the words out-loud, doing her best to match the accents and repeating after Ms. Heliotrope when she was corrected. Ms. Heliotrope was in fact well versed in French and hoped to one day visit.

Although Maria hadn't in fact been thinking of the wedding, most of the conversations at the Merryweather Manor were of the wedding, or weddings to be exact. Loveday and Sir Benjamin did not want to spend any more time apart and decided the date for their wedding would be the last few days of August before Maria was set to leave. This detail still caused Maria great pain, but she was excited for the wedding and was doing her best to remain unaffected. This would be her first wedding after all, and to Maria's excitement, Loveday had warned Maria she would be needed to help plan it.  
Ms. Heliotrope was also considering a wedding with Digweed. He had proposed to her, but she had yet to give her answer.

"That is enough for today Maria, thank you." Ms. Heliotrope stopped Maria's reading and gave her permission to do as she pleased, within the social constraints of a proper English lady of course.

It was a little past afternoon and Maria decided she wanted to finish her book. She politely excused herself and left to the library.

The Merryweather library was large and constantly growing. Despite not being an avid reader himself, Sir Benjamin made sure to stock the library with new books every time he came back from the village. The library was composed of four walls filled with shelves of books. At the other end of the room, there was a single wall occupied by a large window that allowed for plenty of sunlight to illuminate the library. The center of the room had armchairs, sofas, and a small table placed around a fireplace. There was a small spiral staircase to the left of the window that gave access to an indoor balcony, one that allowed Maria to take books from the highest shelves.

Maria sat on the sofa and began to read Beauty and the Beast, her mind taking in the words, and her imagination carrying her into far off places. Maria loved to read but found it cumbersome. Her reading was restricted by Ms. Heliotrope, who made Maria practice reading out loud and strictly ensured Maria's reading was proper for a lady of her age. Maria's only moments of peace to read came when she snuck away to the library. There she was free to choose any book and leisurely read in silence.  
She hadn't been reading for long when she heard a faint knock on the door. She opened the door and was surprised to find Robin. He was dressed in his usual leather attire and Maria noticed he wore a leather belt adorned with pouches and pockets of various sizes. He was leaning against the door frame.

"Robin! I was beginning to think you forgot about me," She greeted him with a large smile.

"Forget about the moon princess? Impossible!"

Maria stepped aside to let Robin in. He apologized to Maria for his absence. His father and tutor had kept him busy with his studies and hunting. Maria casually remarked she hadn't minded, which of course was not the truth.

"What book are you reading?" He asked her as looked around the library.

"La Belle et la Bête, Beauty and the Beast. It's one of my favorite books." Maria handed the book to Robin.

"May I borrow it?" He asked with a curious expression.

"Of course! Did you come alone?" Asked Maria.

"No actually, Loveday came with me. She is in the piano room with Ms. Heliotrope. I was wondering if you wanted to come with me and do a bit of exploring? You know, continue your tour and such," Robin asked, his eyes still fixed on Maria's book.

With a beaming smile of anticipation, Maria rushed out the library and left Robin alone with her book. He hardly took notice.

Maria dashed down the hallway to the piano room and slowed down just enough to fix herself before walking in through the doors.

"Maria, good heavens, your face is flushed, did you run in here?" Asked Ms. Heliotrope.

"No Ms. Heliotrope, I just walked very quickly. Good Afternoon, Loveday!" Greeted Maria.

Loveday was currently sitting at the piano playing a soft melody. She wore a beautiful velvet dusty rose gown, her hair in an elegant up-do with a few curls framing her face. At seeing Maria she paused her playing to give her favorite Moon Princess a loving hug.

"Maria, so good to see you. I hope you've been well. You didn't happen to see Robin on your way here, did you?" Loveday asked, watching Maria carefully.

Maria, knowing what Loveday was up to, smiled and absentmindedly said, "oh yes he's currently in the library reading."

"Robin, really? Are you sure we're speaking about the same boy?"

"The very same!" Replied Maria to a fairly surprised Loveday. She had never seen Robin willingly read a book.

"Maria, come join us." beckoned Ms. Heliotrope gesturing to a nearby seat.

"Actually Ms. Heliotrope. I was hoping I could take a stroll around the grounds with Robin."

Loveday arched her eyebrows as she bit her bottom lip to suppress her smile.

"Hmm very well then, please be back before supper, and do not ruin your dress! I have it in mind to take away your beautiful dresses and replace them with simple frocks!" Ms. Heliotrope warned.

Maria excused herself and rushed back to the library. Opening the large wooden doors revealed a bird boy engaged with the book. He was sitting with his back against the arm of the sofa. The sunlight streaming in gave Robin a silhouette and very mysterious look. There was something calming about his presence.

"Well would you like at that, the bird boy can read." Called Maria, releasing the boy from his trance.

Like a cat, Robin smiled and rose from his seat, stretching high into the air. His shirt rose, revealing his toned front. Maria's eyes widened and she quickly averted her eyes, hoping the tips of her red ears weren't visible.

"Well don't look so surprised, I am a lot smarter than you think," He said, clearly misunderstanding Maria's look of bewilderment.

Satisfied with his stretch, he slumped down on the couch and stared out towards the window. He rested his chin on the back of the couch, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the forest and the far-off ocean.

Robin waved Maria over.  
"See that over there?" Robin pointed out to the sea. "That's where we're going to go today."

Maria gasped in excitement. The first and only time she had seen the ocean, was when she fell into it, and that as can be imagined, wasn't the best experience for a first timer to have with the sea.  
Recalling Ms. Heliotropes warning, Maria once again shuffled her skirts as she rushed out the library without another word to Robin.

In her room, she changed into a forest green empire waist dress with low-cut neckline and short puffy sleeves. Neither Maria nor Ms. Heliotrope liked the style. This one had been gifted to Maria on her last birthday by one of her father's friends. Maria was sure Ms. Heliotrope wouldn't mind if it got worn.

Once she was ready, Maria exited her room and rushed down her tower.

Hoping down each of the stairs she only stopped momentarily to catch her breath. The tapping of her boots was the only sound she heard as she continued her dash from her tower to the hallway. Without hesitation, she ran into the hallway.

SMACK.

Maria collided with a body, her face smacking into a rough leather material. She felt herself falling and grabbed onto the jacket.  
She looked up and came face-to-face with Robin. His eyes were wide with worry and confusion.

Maria landed right on his chest, leaving Robin to take in the full impact of the fall. He hit his head with a thud on the hard, tiled, floor.

"Oouf, you knocked the wind out of me," Robin groaned.

"Robin, I'm really sorry! Are you ok?" Maria scrambled to her knees and helped Robin sit up against the wall.

"I'll be alright princess, it'll take a lot more to knock me out for good." He struggled to let out a hoarse chuckle.

Maria kneeled in front of Robin, and took his face in her hands, inspecting it.  
"Oh Robin, what were you doing here? I left you in the library," Maria asked, her worry etched on her pretty face.

Robin stopped rubbing his head and placed his hand on Maria's cheek. His touch sent shivers down Maria's skin.

"I was worried about you." Robin shrugged and gave Maria a small smile. "You left the library so suddenly, I thought maybe I had offended you. You know with the whole jumping off a cliff into the ocean, I didn't want to pressure you into going back."

Maria laughed softly, "offend me? No! I just went to my room to change! I didn't want to ruin my other dress—"

"—You're so beautiful," Robin said in a dreamlike state.

Maria flushed red and sat down, pulling away from Robin's touch. "Robin! You must have hit your head harder than I thought. Let's go get you something to drink."

She helped him up and led him to the sitting room. She then hurried to the kitchen and brought back a cup of fresh water. Upon entering the room she found fast asleep.

"Robin?" Maria whispered, "Robin, wake up!" Maria prodded his nose.

She sighed. Maria placed the cup on the table and kneeled down next to Robin. She propped her elbows on the couch and rested her chin on her hands.  
This was the first time Maria had ever been close to a boy before.

She leaned closer to Robin's face and began admiring his features. He had a well-defined brow and straight nose. His lips, though thin, were shaped. Robin's hat had slid to the side, revealing a mane of brown curls.

Filled with curiosity, Maria timidly reached her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. She was surprised to discover how soft his hair was. Lost in her thoughts she failed to notice Robin's smirk.

"BOO!" Robin yelled out, grabbing her hand.

Maria yelled in fright and fell back to the floor.  
"Robin, you oaf!" Maria angrily yelled at the bird boy. "Why would you that?"

Robin was sitting up laughing. "Consider it my revenge for knocking me down."

The commotion had drawn the attention of Ms. Heliotrope and Loveday who ran in.

"What is the matter? Maria are you alright?" Cried Ms. Heliotrope.

Loveday turned to Robin who was now holding his stomach from laughing. "Robin, what did you do?" She questioned him.

"Nothing happened. I took a fall and decided to give Maria a bit of a scare," responded Robin.

With a gleam of laughter hidden in her eyes, Loveday stormed over and thumped him on the head.

"Ow Loveday! That's where I hit my head!" Cried Robin, covering his head from any more of Loveday's attacks.

"Good. With that thick skull of yours, I'm sure you can use a few more. Maria let me help you." Loveday helped Maria to her feet who was still angrily glaring a Robin.

With her head held high, Maria politely excused herself from the ladies, ignoring Robin's presence altogether. Robin shook his head and stood up to follow the Moon Princess.

"Excuse me, ladies, I have an outing with the Moon Princess, we will be back by supper!"  
With that Robin followed Maria out the manor into the gardens, still rubbing his sore head.

"Maria, Maria! Hold up!" Robin called out to Maria.

"Go away, you oaf! I want nothing to do with you!" Maria yelled.

"Maria," Robin jogged up to her, stopping right in front of her, "you don't mean that."

"Yes, I do now move out the way!" Maria raised her arm to hit his chest, only for him to catch her hand. Maria snatched her hand back and gave Robin the angriest look she could muster.

"Maria, I am sorry for scaring you, I promise I won't do it again. But we only have a few more hours until supper." Robin looked into her eyes full of fiery anger, "please, let's go together, you'll love the sea."

Maria crossed her arms in anger and looked off to the side. "Fine! But only because I want to see the ocean." Maria stormed away.

Satisfied, Robin followed Maria into the forest.


	7. Building Trust and Sand Castles

Maria and Robin walked in silence. Maria was still filled with indignation at having been frightened by him. Although Robin attempted multiple times to start a conversation, she refused to reply anything more than a simple "yes" or "no".

"You know, I have come to the conclusion you Merryweathers are awfully good at glaring," Robin remarked.

The two reached the Moon Princess' dwelling. Without another word, Maria crawled straight into the tree.  
When Robin followed her in, he found her already vanishing through the secret door into the dark tunnel.

"Maria hold on! We should stick together, we might get lost!" Robin called after Maria.

"And give you another opportunity to frighten me? No thank you!" Maria retorted.

With a frustrated groan, Robin took a torch from the wall, used his flint to light it up, and quickly went in after her. He did not want Maria navigating through the tunnels alone. Not only for her safety but for his own as well. The last time they had walked through the passageway, they had the Moon Pearls' light and were led by the apparition of a white horse that only Maria could see. Without Mother Nature's guidance, they would both get lost.

Maria walked through the passageway. She blinked and rubbed her eyes to adjust to the dimming light. She took a few steps to the side, using her hands as a barrier and shuddered as she touched the cold surface of the wall. She used her hands to guide her along the rocky tunnel. Soon the only sound came from the gentle tapping of her footsteps against the ground.  
With every step, the tunnel darkened and after a few more steps, Maria came to a reluctant conclusion: this was not a good idea.

Maria had hoped Moonacre's white horse would appear to her again, but perhaps because the curse was broken, or because she was not in any grave danger, there was no unicorn in sight.

Maria's ears picked up fast approaching footsteps from behind her. There was a distinct tapping between each step. She caught sight of a light headed her way, it was Robin with a burning torch.

"We're lost, aren't we?" He asked her as he finally managed to catch up.

Maria was beginning to feel disappointed. Just this morning she had been looking forwards to spending time with the bird boy. Yet now that they were together, most of it had been spent in angry silence.

At not receiving a response, Robin frowned and sat down. He leaned his head against the wall where he closed his eyes.

"Robin, how are you? Does your head still hurt?" She asked him, finally breaking her silence.

"Only a little. Hold on, I'm trying to listen," Robin replied, putting his finger on his lip.

Maria huffed at being told to quiet. "What are you trying to listen to?" She whispered.

"Close your eyes, and tell me what you hear."

Scowling, Maria closed her eyes and listened. "I don't hear anything."

"Give it a moment. There, did you hear it?"

Maria furrowed her brow and closed her eyes again. She listened. Then she heard it, a low rhythmic crash off in the distance. The ocean's waves. She opened her eyes and met Robin's gaze. He was smiling at her.

Robin jumped to his feet. The sudden rise left him feeling wobbly. Quickly steadying himself, he walked over to Maria and helped her up.

"It's the ocean, we're not that far off, let's go!" Robin took the lead.

Every so often, he paused to listen for the ocean. Maria admired how quiet he was. She tried to be silent too, but her heeled boots and skirts made it difficult. After walking for a bit Robin stopped abruptly and shook his head, a quiet chuckle escaped him.

"I'm really sorry princess, but could you stay here and wait for me?" Robin asked her. "With my headache and the sound of your skirts, it's difficult to make out the sea's direction."

"But what if we get separated?"

"Ah don't worry about that, I've left a trail for us to follow back." He took a small pouch out of one of his belt pockets and produced a few brightly colored stones of red and blue.  
"See these stones, I have been dropping them since we entered the tunnel. Besides, weren't you trying to leave me behind earlier?"

So that was the tapping Maria had heard when he approached. Maria was impressed. Robin was quite resourceful, but she wouldn't admit this to him.

"I'm glad to hear that bird brain of yours is capable."

Robin raised his hands in defeat and sighed. "Well Princess, I will walk on ahead to find the path. Please don't go anywhere". And with that, he turned around and continued down the tunnel, leaving Maria in the dark.

A few moments ago, when she was upset, the dark hadn't bothered her. Now though, she realized she would not want to be lost in these tunnels. As Robin walked away, his light illuminated a few entrances to other passages. Anyone, or anything, could be lurking down those passageways. Maria began to feel nervous as her thoughts lingered on the various creatures that could be hiding.

"Robin!" Maria nervously called out, she heard the faint echo of her voice ringing out. Maria began to panic. She had never been afraid of the dark, but she was afraid of what could be hiding in it. It was the fear of the unknown, of the possibility that her life could be in danger yet she would have no knowledge of it. Maria's breathing got heavier, she felt her head begin to spin.

"Robin!" She cried out once more, a hint of desperation escaped her voice. She leaned against the tunnel's wall.  
 _What if Robin doesn't come back? What if this was his plan all along? He would never leave me here… or would he?... Maria stop this!_  
Despite her attempts, thoughts of betrayal swirled in her head. She wondered how she could be so naïve to trust a boy who had tried so many times to hurt her before. Maria was trembling, the tunnels were cold, and soon the only warmth she felt was the heat from the hot tears that slowly fell from her eyes onto her face.  
To Maria, the few minutes she was alone in the tunnel felt like hours, until suddenly the silence was broken by a few taps. Maria heard footsteps off in the distance coming her way. She braced herself. No matter what it was, she would fight it!

As she readied herself to run at the intruder, a red glow broke the darkness. The familiar shadow of a bowler hat and feathered scarf stretched through the tunnel, banishing the darkness.

"Moon Princess! I found the way!" Robin came bounding through the tunnel, but his excitement quickly died at seeing Maria's pale and teary face. "Maria, what's wrong?"

At his sight, a relieved smile broke through her face. She did her best to straighten herself up.  
"Oh. No. Nothing, nothing," Maria quickly wiped away her tears.

Robin watched her carefully, trying to pick any thoughts out of her, but her beautiful eyes, though teary, smiled right back at him.

Robin was suspicious, clearly, something was wrong.

She observed how he carefully eyed the small red and blue stones. Had she not known about them, Maria would have completely missed them. Occasionally Robin would sneak apprehensive glances at Maria. He desperately wanted her to confide in him, but he knew that finding their way was more important to her at the moment.

"Almost there Princess, can you hear it?" Robin asked.

Maria nodded. The sound of crashing waves now reached her ears. They took one last turn and suddenly came out into the open. Maria gasped. The large blue ocean surrounded her. She was so mesmerized by it she felt she could jump right into it again.

"It gets better, come follow me."  
Robin led the way out of the tunnel and to the side of the amphitheater. There, Maria saw a makeshift trail that winded down to the shore. The trail turned and hid between large stone boulders and ended right on the sandy beach.

"Now be careful, the sand makes the trail slippery. I'll go first that way I'll catch you if you fall." Robin reassured Maria and began walking down the trail.  
Maria, feeling confident soon followed along.

The walk down went smoothly. Occasionally, they had to slide on their bottoms when the trail got to steep or slippery. As Robin stood up, Maria noticed his leather pants were brown from the sand and giggled.

"What's so funny princess?" Robin asked over his shoulder. They had arrived at a downwards sloping crevice between two large stones. Robin was using both his hands to scale down the footpath.

"Your bottoms, they're all covered in dirt!" Maria laughed.

Robin turned over his shoulder with a smirk on his lips and a gleam in his eyes.  
"Princess, have you been admiring my arse this entire time?" He cocked his eyebrow.

Maria's eyes widened and she blushed a deep red. "No! Robin how dare you say that! I was simply making an observation." Maria defended herself.

"Don't worry princess, you'll have the rest of the trek down to admire it, I don't mind."

Maria gasped. "I would never!"  
She grabbed a fistful of dirt and tossed it to the laughing bird boy. The dirt landed square in the back of his head and covered his back entirely with brown sand.

"There, now your entire backside is dirty!" Maria responded.

Robin hopped from the crevice down to the ground, he landed nimbly on his feet and removed his hat to brush off the sand.  
"That's not very nice, princess," Robin leaned against a boulder and brushed off his hat as he raised his eyes and watched Maria through his hair.

"Well, neither are you so we're even!"

Robin smiled. Maria's mood had improved. Placing his hat back on his head he turned to continue their trek to the beach.

Maria stifled a giggle, his entire backside was covered in brown.

They climbed over a large stone boulder. At the top, she saw the sandy beach and shimmering rolling waves. The boulder slopped downwards to the sand.

"Ok princess, take a seat and give me your hand," Robin instructed patting the stone at his side.  
Maria gave Robin a skeptical look but daintily placed her hand on his and sat beside him.  
"Down we go!" Robin shouted as he pushed himself down the boulder pulling Maria with him. The two slid down the rock and landed on the soft sand laughing.

"That was so much fun!"

"Good, now come on, we're almost there," Robin continued to lead her along, walking closer to the shore. Robin didn't let go of her hand.

Maria was glad she was still holding on to Robin. Walking in the sand was much harder than she imagined. It seeped into her boots making them increasingly heavy. As the two reached the shore's edge, Maria and Robin kicked off their boots and ran to the water.

Maria squealed as the cold water splashed on her toes. She watched the rolling waves and became hypnotized by their rhythm. She started to feel light headed and grabbed on to Robin with both her hands. She was in awe of the sight and didn't notice the soft look Robin gave her. She was amazed at how blue the ocean and sky was, the sea and horizon seemed to blend together. Seagulls and sparrows flapped happily in the air. She sighed with content and relief. They made it, and she was still next to Robin.

Robin who was carefully watching Maria, noticed a small frown momentarily cross her lips.

"Maria, back in the tunnels, what happened?" Robin asked her.

Recalling the sense of panic, Maria struggled to respond. She didn't want to tell him she had thought the worst of him, but he had seen her silent tears.

Maria sighed. "Robin, I…You left me so suddenly, and well we hardly know each other. Just a few days ago you hated me. When I was alone, I thought the worst, I thought—"

"You thought I had abandoned you." Robin finished, his voice was strained.

Maria looked away. She stared at the ocean. She heard the pain in Robin's voice, she did not want to see it in his eyes.

An awkward silence fell upon them. Robin was contemplating what Maria had said, what she had felt. It stung him more than he could have ever thought possible. She was just a Merryweather.  
Yet despite how much he wanted to deny it, Robin understood why Maria felt the way she did. She had every reason to mistrust him. After all, his family had behaved villainously towards her. And he was a De Noir, a ruffian considered by many noble people.

 _Why would Maria ever want to deal with the likes of me, much less trust me?_ He scoffed at his thoughts. _Why do I even care_ , Robin shook his head. As much as he desperately tried to come up with any reason to persuade himself that Maria's thoughts meant nothing, that she should mean nothing, he couldn't.  
Robin sighed, and walked away from Maria into the shore. The waves rolled on to his ankles. He bent down and grabbed a fistful of sand then tossed it into the ocean.

"Maria, when you jumped off the cliff, I felt as if all life had been sucked out of me. I—I made a promise to myself…"  
Robin took a deep breath as he struggled to find the words, "I was so upset, I thought that I had failed you. I promised that if you were to come back, I would always listen… and protect you at all costs."

Maria was left stunned at his words. She remembered that day when Robin had agreed to help her. When he had placed a knife on his own father's neck to defend her. She couldn't understand now why she doubted him. Maria ran up to Robin and wrapped her arms around his torso in a tight hug, almost knocking them down again.  
"I'm sorry Robin, I'm sorry I doubted you."

Surprised, Robin slowly placed his arms around Maria's shoulders.

"No Princess, there's no need to apologize," he rested his chin on her head and squeezed her in a tight hug.  
"After all, we did lock you in a dungeon," he mused. "We haven't been the most friendliest of neighbors."  
Robin then pulled back and gave her a mischievous smile, "but I have a few months to prove my loyalty—beginning tomorrow!"  
He brought his arms under Maria's shoulders and lifted her up into the air, spinning her around in circles.

Maria shrieked with laughter, "Robin put me down! You will drop me!"

"Never!" He tucked her under his arm and ran into the waves, kicking up water.

"Robin! My dress! Miss Heliotrope will be furious! She may take my dresses away!"

"Ahh but she will not harm you, I will take my chances. Hold your breath!"

With those last words, he jumped in and lifted her above the water, letting a wave overcome them. Then he released her.  
Maria's eyes widened and she pinched her nose.

Robin laughed as he watched her be carried back to sand by the waves, they were so gentle with her, almost purposefully. To Maria's amusement, a large wave suddenly rose behind Robin and tumbled him back to the shore. He rolled next to her, surrounded by white foaming water.

"Oouf today's been a rough day for my body," he sputtered as he spit out the salty water.

Maria was bursting with laughter. The two were drenched with water. A few loose strands of hair fell on to her face and her once forest green dress looked black and clung to her body. Robin's curly hair fell flat and covered his eyes, his jacket and shirt hung off his shoulder from the water's weight.

Maria noticed a black shape bobbing on the waves.

"Robin your hat!"

She sprang to her feet, and rushed into the water, struggling not to trip over her soaked skirt and petticoat that had entangled themselves around her legs. She heard Robin's laughter as she waded through the waves, just managing to catch the bowler hat before a large wave engulfed her and tumbled her back to the beach. She landed next to Robin, choking on laughter and seawater. His hat was clutched to her chest.

"Hmm I believe the ocean does not want us today," Robin concluded as he pulled some seaweed from her hair. "Moon Princess, you have saved my hat's life, how can I ever repay you?" Robin teased.

Maria giggled and tossed him his hat, "You can begin by admiring my bravery in battling the waves despite my lack of swimming skills."

"You don't know how to swim?" Robin asked incredulously.

"No, I believe I don't." Maria laughed, "back in London, there was no need to go swimming!"

Robin gulped at the sudden realization, "Maria you should have warned me! You could have gotten hurt!"

"Oh never mind, I believe it just means you'll have to spare your knowledge and teach me," Maria stated as she stood up and wrung her hair.

Robin weakly nodded, he had gone pale at the revelation of Maria's swimming skills— or lack of.

Maria let her wet curls fall loose around her face. The sunlight danced brightly along Maria's copper curls, illuminating her bright eyes and delicate face. Robin caught himself staring, admiring her beautiful features. But as Maria was about to look at him he let out an awkward grunt and forced his attention on his now wet and sandy hat.

"Will your hat be ruined?" Maria asked.

"Uh, no. No, my hat's been through worst," Robin stuttered, doing his best to ignore the burning sensation in his ears.

Maria wandered around the beach. She found a log by the shore surrounded by a pile of wood. Robin slipped off his jacket and stretched under the sunlight. He peered off into the distance and noticed the dark clouds were looming closer and frowned.

Maria, too distracted with her curiosity did not see the clouds or took notice of the change in weather. It had become windy, and the birds were leaving, looking for shelter. Instead, Maria was inspecting the wood, "Robin, where did this wood come from?"

"Most likely from a shipwreck. The seaport is not too far south from here. During bad weather ships often mistake their route and crash into cliffs."

"Do these men, survive?"

"Sometimes, though not often." Robin absentmindedly responded to Maria's shock. "Ah don't worry, it's rare for that to happen."

The two spent the rest of their day frolicking about the beach like a couple of young children. Robin taught her how to build sand castles and find the best shells. Robin even managed to lure Maria back into the ocean where he taught her how to ride the waves with her body and how to paddle.

Exhausted, the two dropped down onto the sand. Robin noticed it had gotten dark and colder. He pulled on the hem of his shirt to wring out the seawater. Maria snuck a glance and noticed a few scars along his torso.

"Princess, I think it's time I took you back. A storm seems to be coming in."

Nodding in agreement, the young moon princess and bandit made their way back to the amphitheater. The journey up was slower. Maria led, but she was tired from the swim and the weight of her garments made it hard to hike upwards. She slipped a few times but Robin was always there to steady her.

As they reached the top of the cliffs, Robin noticed the clouds had turned into a storm and were coming in from the sea. By the time the two exited the Moon Princess' dwelling, all of Moonacre Valley was covered with a heavy downpour. Maria and Robin ran as fast as they could back to the manor.


	8. Across the Sea

Maria and Robin ran out of the forest through the downpour. The rain was so thick Maria could just make out the ground and struggled to keep up.

"I have a better idea. Here take this." Robin stopped and placed his hat on Maria.

The hat fell over Maria's eyes. She couldn't see a thing. Suddenly her legs were lifted from underneath her. She yelped as she felt herself falling back and landed softly into Robin's other arm.

"There, much better, now we can make some progress."

"But what about you?" She asked raising her head to peer underneath the brim of his bowler hat.

"Don't worry about me, I know these grounds." He grinned and pulled Maria close to his chest as he hurried to the manor.

She hadn't noticed how cold she was until she felt his warmth against her body. Maria remembered his words from the beach and her heart warmed, sending butterflies to her stomach. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up into his face. Rain droplets traced his face down onto his chest. His stare was intense and his breathing was heavy.

"Robin, you can put me down. I don't want to tire you," Maria said to him.

"Me? Tired? No princess, you're not that heavy. Besides, I've been planning on kidnapping you, remember?" Robin playfully tossed Maria into the air before squeezing her tight into his chest.

Maria was laughing, catching her breath she realized there was no other friend who she would want at her side.  
"Thank you Robin, for everything," Maria said.

There was a sincerity in her words that Robin was not used too. After a second thought, Maria placed a light kiss on his cheek before resting her face on his chest, taking in the familiar scent of pine and earth that was Robin.

Robin was stunned by her actions. He felt his cheek burning red and quietly muttered, "it's nothing." He took a deep breath, and was caught off guard by her sweet aroma. Feeling energized, he quickened his pace.

As they entered the manor grounds, they ran into Loveday. Her dusty rose gown was now wet below her knees and mud clung to the hem of her dress. She only carried a parasol that kept her upper-half dry. Her mouth was set in a worried frown.

"Maria, Robin! Where have you two been?"

"Sorry Loveday, I took Maria to the amphitheater and on our way back, we got caught in the storm."

Loveday, amused to see a conscious Maria in his arms, struggled to maintain her scowl. "Well hurry on in and clean yourselves up. Benjamin will soon be home and I'm not sure how he'll take to your little adventure," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

Understanding, Robin continued on his way with Maria in his arms.

"Safe and sound Moon Princess. Once more you've escaped the evil De Noir clutches," Robin said to Maria as he entered the manor.

"Evil De Noirs? Nooo. Bandits, yes. Ruffians, yes. Unmannered, yes. But Evil? I think that title is much too high for you," Maria teased poking his nose.

"I wouldn't bet on that yet princess, I may be tactically waiting my turn to finally take you all my own." Robin's faced inched closer to hers. Maria felt his breath on her lips. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. His eyes bore deep into hers, searching for something.

Before she could stop herself, she responded "well, with the curse gone, what could you possibly want a moon princess for?" She immediately wanted to smack herself in the face. But in that moment with him, her thoughts were racing and her mouth had taken a life of their own.

Robin lowered his voice to a low growl. "I think I can come up with something," Robin said fighting hard against burying his face into her neck. Maria felt her checks burn.

"Robin, I do believe you're supposed to save that for your wedding," Loveday taunted as she walked through the door.

Their eyes widened and Robin quickly set Maria down on the floor. Embarrassed, Maria tried to step away from Robin but her skirts wrapped around her legs. She was about to fall when Robin quickly wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her.

"Princess, you fall so much I'm starting to believe your jump off the cliff was accidental," Robin remarked, breaking the tension and changing the subject.

Now red-faced and burning, Maria rolled her eyes and fixed herself.  
"I'm going to clean myself up, excuse me," she said as she left the De Noir siblings.

She could not believe a few hours ago she actually thought him capable of harming her. She was flustered for letting him get to her.  
He's so arrogant—and, and bigheaded. But Maria was more upset with herself, as much as she tried she could not remove the large smile that forced its way onto her lips or slow her beating heart when she thought of Robin.

In her tower, she found a steaming bath waiting for her. Maria took off Robin's hat and placed it by the fireplace to dry. Tossing her wet clothes to the floor she gingerly stepped into the bath, took a deep breath, and sunk in, letting the warmth of the water seep through her cold bones.

She sighed.  
Maria was confused. She didn't understand these feelings, she was so young. Her heart and head were no help, they were busy thinking of the birdboy and her stomach was busy fluttering away.

Meanwhile, in another part of the manor, Loveday was busy scolding Robin for having stayed out in the rain. Although she was delighted her little brother and Maria were getting along well, she understood Sir Benjamin's concern and did not want to spark any more fire in her beloved, yet temperamental man. She led him to the guest room he had previously stayed in, where Digweed had also arranged a bath at her request.

"It seems you and Maria are getting along very well," Loveday said, watching his reaction.

Robin gave her a quizzical look. "She was slow, and the storm wasn't lighting up. I had to get us home before we sunk into the mud," he said with a shrug. "Besides, she's only 13..." he muttered quietly, but Loveday heard.

"Oh, really dear brother? Then tell me what will you do to a Moon Princess when you kidnap her?" Loveday taunted.

Robin turned a deep shade of red and stuttered, "you heard that?"

"Yes!" Loveday laughed, she was proud at having caught her brother. "And don't worry Robin, she's turning 14 the day after the wedding. And then in a few years, she'll be 18! A marriageable age. Once married you can think of something to do with a kidnapped princess." Loveday teased.

Annoyed Robin walked past her into the room. Loveday quickly followed behind, she had a beaming smile and was struggling to contain any more laughter.

"But until then, clean yourself up! I want you to look proper." Loveday handed him some clothes.

"I doubt any matter of 'properness' could change Sir Benjamin's good opinion of me," Robin rolled his eyes, "besides, whose are these?" He skeptically asked.

"They're Benjamin's old clothes. Now don't take too long, supper will be ready soon." Loveday then gently took his face in her hands, "and Robin, don't take Benjamin's opinion so personally. He loves Maria, probably more so than her own father, and only wants to protect her." She kissed his forehead and left the room.

Robin tossed Sir Benjamin's clothes onto his bed. He pulled off his tunic and struggled to remove his leather pants which clung to his skin. He went into his bath and ran his hand through his hair. Robin was surprised to find a large tender lump, forming where he had fallen against the floor and winced at its soreness. Then he thought of Maria and placed a hand on his cheek. A smile grew on his face.

 _But soon she will leave you_ , a disturbing thought floated across his head.  
It was right, Maria would soon leave, and to Robin's frustration, she would grow up and become a lady.  
In London, she will find herself a noble young man who will fall in love with her.  
Robin didn't think he had a chance. He had money of course, and a dark broody demeanor many girls fell for. But this was Maria, and Maria was something special. He forced himself to stop all thoughts of her, and reminded himself that she was barely a friend, and a young one at that. He breathed out a heavy sigh and leaned his head on the tub, closing his eyes and thinking of thoughts other than Maria.

Back in Maria's little tower, she was still happily soaking in her bath when she was interrupted by a gentle knock at the door.

"Maria dear, it is almost time for supper. Are you ready?" Called Ms. Heliotrope through the door.

Maria was surprised to realize how much time she had let go by. She jumped out of the tub and dried herself off, "just a minute!" She responded.  
She slipped into her drawers and pulled a chemise over her head, "I'm ready Miss Heliotrope."

Maria heard the door open and the ruffles of Ms. Heliotrope's skirt making her way to her tiny door. She realized her wet and sandy dress was still on the floor. In a panic, Maria picked it up and rushed to her window. She shook off the sand from her dress and then ran back to place it in a hanger by the fire plane. Just as she did so, the door opened and Miss Heliotrope stuck in her head.

"Maria, do you need help getting ready?" She asked, her glasses sliding down her nose.

"Please, Miss Heliotrope," Maria said. She found her corset, petticoats, and pulled a silky light blue dress from her wardrobe. Maria made her way down the tiny door to Miss Heliotrope.

Maria stood in front of the mirror as Miss Heliotrope tied on her corset. "How was your day?"

"It was so much fun! We walked around the forest and he showed me how to get to the amphitheater. Which reminds me, would you happen to know how to clean a bowler hat?" Maria asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say I'm a master but I think I know a thing or two we can do to a hat. It sounds like quite an adventure dear. Though Maria, I saw you were soaked when you came in. What happened to the dress?" Miss Heliotrope questioned.

"It's hanging by my fireplace, it did get soaked with the rain. But you will be pleased to hear I listened to your warning," Maria stated proudly. "I was worried something may happen so I changed into that green dress you're not fond up. The one from my father's friend."

Maria heard a small gasp escape from Miss Heliotrope and saw her eyes widen, before quickly refocusing on tying Maria's corset.

"Is something the matter Ms. Heliotrope?" Maria questioned.

Miss Heliotrope slowly looked up to Maria with a small smile and quickly answered, "—no. No, my dear do not worry. Thank you for using another dress." Miss Heliotrope finished tying the corset and placed a warm hand on her shoulder, "Maria, you are growing. Soon we will need to measure you for a new corset! "

Puzzled, Maria only nodded.

When they finished, Maria brought Robin's hat to Ms. Heliotrope. It was lightly damped and had grains of sand embedded into the felt. Using a cloth and small brush, Ms. Heliotrope was able to remove the sand and make it look as good as new. Maria left it to finish drying by the fireplace. Ready for supper, she made her way down to the dining room with her governess. Maria recognized her uncle's voice as well as another voice, Couer De Noir's.

Sir Benjamin informed her he had run into Mr. De Noir at Silverydew where Mr. De Noir was coming back from business at the seaport. At hearing that Loveday and Robin were visiting the Merryweather Manor, Sir Benjamin invited Mr. De Noir to supper. Although Mr. De Noir was very courteous, he seemed tense.  
They all took their seats around the table but two seats remained empty, Loveday's and Robin's.

As they chatted along, they were interrupted by a fuss outside the dining room. Loveday came in scolding Robin whose face was as red as a tomato. He was wearing a white shirt and grey trousers which was a contrast from his usual leathers. His curly hair hung wet around his face. Maria was reluctant to admit it, but he looked charming, and handsome….well ignoring his angry face...

"Loveday what's all this commotion about?" demanded Mr. De Noir.

"Robin. He wouldn't answer the door. I had to pick the lock just to open the room. Would you believe that I found Robin fast asleep, still in his bath!"

The rest of the room erupted into laughter, even Maria who was doing her best to remain polite, could not suppress her amusement. Shaking her head, Loveday made her way to sit beside Sir Benjamin. Robin only turned redder and refused to make eye contact with anyone as he slumped down to his seat, just managing to mumble a "good evening".

Once the room had calmed down, Sir Benjamin asked, "excuse me Loveday, but did I hear correctly when you said you broke your way into a room? And are those my clothes?"

"Yes dear, a De Noir talent!" Loveday proudly beamed to a surprised Sir Benjamin, "and yes, I hope you don't mind. Robin's outfit was drenched from the rain and did not dry fast enough."

"Oh, well nothing to be done then, although I may have to get better locks. Robin can keep those clothes, I have no need for them." Sir Benjamin commented with a nod towards Robin's direction.

As the evening wore on, the conversation was dominated by Mr. De Noir and Sir Benjamin who had now taken a few cups of wine.

"So Coeur, what brought you to the village today?" asked Sir Benjamin.

Mr. De Noir placed his goblet on the table, "business as usual, though I wish I had received better news. Seems as though trade may suffer for a while." He grumbled.

"What happened father?" asked Loveday.

"A bunch of blithering fools have been robbing traders before their arrival to the port. Merchandise has been stolen," Mr. De Noir paused and took a swig of his drink before continuing, "it seems travelers and traders alike have been missing. Only to turn up days later with their insides gutted out."

Gasps were heard around the room. Ms. Heliotrope aggressively fanned herself, she looked about ready to faint.

"Impossible! Who could possibly be doing that?" asked Sir Benjamin.

Mr. De Noir shook his head and raised his hands in defeat. "Only the devil knows what demons would be hellish enough to commit such crimes. They've been frightening the traders. Many are choosing to redirect their routes. Preferring to trade down south with Italy or Spain."

"Oh good heavens, is there a reason for—for their behavior?" Asked Miss Heliotrope.

"No more reason than what drives any other group of bandits in my opinion, a group of rogue thieves like any other most likely. I've heard rumors, for about a year now. Of missing people and the likes. But it was to the east. Seems they've been making their way to West. Running away from the law most likely, those bastards!" Mr. De Noir slammed his cup down on the table.

The rest of the night remained silent. Occasionally Sir Benjamin would interject a few possible theories, but otherwise, no one knew what else to say.

Once supper had finished, Mr. De Noir stood up. "Thank you, Sir Benjamin for your hospitality. I am sorry for burdening you all with such problems. I hope to make up for it by having you all over for supper. "

Sir Benjamin nodded and responded that they would be very interested in finally seeing the De Noir Castle with their own eyes.

Maria and Sir Benjamin walked the De Noirs to the door. The weather had calmed to a light drizzle and night was about to set in. Digweed brought out the carriage with Robin's clothes inside. As Robin was about to step in Maria called out, "Robin your hat! I'll get it for you."

Maria was coming down from her tower and met Robin at the door. She saw the adults watching them for the corner of her eye as she placed the bowler hat on Robin's head.

"Right where it belongs," She said to him smiling.

"It does look better on me doesn't it?" Robin remarked.

"No, but it serves to hide that unruly mane of yours."

Robin took a step closer and lowered his voice so that the adults wouldn't hear him. "You sure about that? I seem to recall someone fancied running her hand through this mane."

Maria's face fell. Embarrassed, she pushed Robin towards the carriage. "Go away bird boy," she said. Her cheeks once again red.

Robin hopped into the carriage. As it drove away he stuck his head out the window and yelled out, "until next time, princess!"

Maria waved at Robin goodbye before she was ushered into the manor by an annoyed uncle.


	9. A De Noir Discussion

Weeks had gone by since Maria's and Robin's trip to the beach. With each day that passed, Maria fell in love with Moonacre more and more. When Robin wasn't busy, he would visit the Merryweather Manor and continued to show Maria how to navigate the forests.  
He taught her how to watch the birds, how to follow a trail, and he even took her out to the river to collect her own stones to paint. These would be used to mark a trail for the rest of the passageways in the Moon Princess' dwelling.

When Robin was busy, she went out on her own accompanied by Wrolf and Periwinkle to explore the valley.

Maria was happy she no longer felt alone in Moonacre. Like her love for Moonacre, her friendship with Loveday and Robin grew each day. Ms. Heliotrope too no longer complained about the countryside and Maria was sure it also had to do with her decreasing problems of indigestion and new company.  
On a few occasions, she had spotted Digweed and Ms. Heliotrope walking through the gardens, hand in hand.

As the wedding day drew closer, the ladies found themselves busy helping Loveday prepare for her wedding. She would occasionally leave the De Noir castle to spend a few days at the Merryweather manor.  
Back home, neither Robin nor her father could offer any advice aside from suggesting the type of wine and food that should be served. But at the Manor, Loveday was able to divide her tasks among Maria and Miss Heliotrope.

Currently, the ladies were busy in the piano room. At their request, Digweed and Sir Benjamin had moved a small sofa and table set so that the ladies could continue working while listening to music. Maria was seated at the table, inscribing the invitations. Loveday and Miss Heliotrope were seated on the sofa across from Maria. They were inspecting various embroidery designs to decorate the table clothes and napkins with.

When Loveday was satisfied with her choice, she sighed in relief and said to the ladies, "thank you both so much, without either of your help I would be in such a state!"

"Loveday dear, there is nothing else I would rather do. It's been so long since I've been to a wedding!" Miss Heliotrope sighed, "and I am sure Maria appreciates a break from her studies."

Maria only raised her eyes and smiled.  
It is true, the past few weeks, Miss Heliotrope ensured Maria was sufficiently busy with her studies. She wanted to make sure Maria was ready for finishing school.

"Well Miss Heliotrope, if I may be so bold, soon there may be a second wedding," responded Loveday to Miss Heliotrope.

"Oh, me? No good heavens. I'm much too old to be parading in such displays! Maria, would you please play us a song on the pianoforte?" Miss Heliotrope asked Maria, changing the subject.

Maria nodded, she felt her hands could use a break from writing. She sat down in front of the piano, and stretched her fingers, easing their tension. She let out a deep breath and began to play.  
Maria first played single notes, softly letting them flow from her fingers. Then slowly, the notes joined together. It was Loveday's and Sir Benjamin's song.

"Maria you play beautifully," Loveday said with a smiled.

Maria, deep in concentration closed her eyes and the ladies' conversation was drowned by the soft music of the waltz. Soon the song grew in complexity. Her hands were small but moved quickly through the keys, trying her best to match the tune that played so beautifully in her mind.  
She was beginning to feel frustrated.  
She struggled to move her hands long the piano, when suddenly she felt another hand brush over hers and join her playing. Maria opened her eyes and was surprised to find a familiar mane of curly hair and feathered scarf sitting by her.

"Robin?" She questioned the bird boy, his hat rested on the piano and his hands moved nimbly along the keys. They were much larger than hers and easily struck the varying cords.

"Well princess, you going to finish or just leave me playing?" Robin teased as he continued to play.

Maria grinned and refocused her attention on the piano, joining Robin in a beautiful duet.

It was an odd sight for the two ladies. Both had noticed Robin come in, but he had placed his fingers to his lips asking them not to reveal his presence. He snuck around Maria and sat down. The women were puzzled, they had expected him to scare her, not join her!  
Very strange indeed, to see a young man with charcoal under his eyes and a mess of curls all clad in leather, sitting next to a beautiful girl who almost appeared fairly like in her pink silky dress, playing such a wonderful song.

Their hands danced as they poured the music that filled their thoughts, the music of Moonacre. Together, they struck all the cords and ended the song masterfully.

"Thank you for playing with me," Robin said to Maria as he placed his hat back on his head. He then stood and mockingly bowed to the two stunned ladies.

Miss Heliotrope had her hand over her mouth in disbelief and could do no more than glance between Robin and Maria as she struggled to find her words. Loveday meanwhile was bouncing in her seat with glee.

"Robin, I—that was beautiful. That, it was just, incredible!" Stuttered Miss Heliotrope, recomposing herself.

"Thank you, Miss Heliotrope. I couldn't have done it without Maria. Actually I could have, but it wouldn't have sounded as nice." He responded with a smug smile.

Maria only rolled her eyes and said, "I didn't know you could play Robin."

"Well you see Moon Princess, before I was old enough to hunt and Loveday was still around, my father thought it best to keep us out of the way by having us practice mundane skills such as piano playing—"

"But Robin, even I wasn't aware of how well you play," interrupted Loveday.

Robin just shrugged his shoulders.  
"As nice as it's been, I actually came to ask Maria if she would like come with me to the seaport? With your permission of course, Miss Heliotrope."

"Yes, yes. Of course. Maria please be back before supper and take care of your dress." Miss Heliotrope smiled kindly.

Maria and Robin walked out the manor and headed towards the stables. Although Maria understood how Robin came to learn to play the piano, she still had one last question, "Robin, when did you learn to play that song."

At her question Robin's smile fell and he shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno. It just came naturally."

"You're lying. The first time I ever heard that song was when I came to Moonacre. It played by itself, and then I saw it in a vision. Loveday and Uncle danced to it."

Robin pursed his lips and finally answered, "It was Loveday's favorite song, she taught it to me before she left. I played it to remember her by."

"Oh," Maria nodded her head in understanding.

"Anyways, I've asked Digweed to prepare Periwinkle for you. We're going on horseback!"  
"—and my friends are coming." Robin added.

Maria's excitement took a sharp fall. She hadn't seen his friends since their awkward introduction, and she certainly wasn't excited about seeing them now. She was hoping to spend her day with only Robin.

Maria and Robin found Digweed waiting for them at the stables.

"It'll be a lovely ride out today m'am" Digweed greeted her. Maria forced a smile, her thoughts still on Robin's friends.

They mounted their horses and rode out to the manor gate where Robin's friends waited. Like typical De Noir Style, all the young men rode black horses.

"Robin, what took you so long?" Asked Henry.

Robin just shrugged his shoulders.

Turning to Maria, Henry greeted her, "Miss Merryweather, that's quite a steed you got there."

"Miss Maria, looking as pretty as ever!" Richard said with his usual charming smile.

"Hello, Miss Merryweather." David was the last to greet her. Although he was cordial there was a coldness about his greeting that Maria did not fail to notice.

"Hello! This is Periwinkle" Maria patted her pony's head.  
"And please, call me Maria. I know we haven't been so friendly, but I hope these next few weeks will be different. Even with you David," she said meeting David's eyes. He quickly looked away.

Robin and Maria led the party to the seaport. They were followed by Henry, Richard, and David. As Robin was explaining some of the seaport's history to Maria, Richard rode up next to him.

"Hey Robin! How about you let me give Maria a more a livelier conversation," Richard said as he jerked his head back towards Henry's direction.  
"I'll make sure to avoid any mention of your misadventures." He joked with a smirk.

Confused, Robin nodded and slowed down to ride alongside Henry and David. Henry's brows were furrowed and he looked deep in thought. David didn't look much happy either.

"What's going on?" Robin asked. Richard was now telling Maria about the time Robin broke his arm climbing trees when he was 7.

"There hasn't been any news from my father," Henry replied. He took off his hat and ran his hands through his shaggy black hair.

"Isn't his ship supposed to arrive today?" Robin asked. He was starting to understand Henry's concern. His father always sent a letter announcing the day a shipment was to be expected. They hadn't received any word since he had arrived at their destination.

"Dunno, that's why we tagged along. Mr. De Noir wants us to get word about their whereabouts, in case they're still not here…" He trailed off.

"Robin," David said, "your dad's becoming impatient. Really wants you to start the trade with nearby cities soon."

"I think he's worried sea-trade may have to stop for a while." Added Henry.

"Also I," David said, looking from Henry to Robin, "I heard from the servants, there's been some unrest among a few De Noirs. They're upset about the Merryweather peace. Just reckon you should know."

Robin scoffed, "for a second I actually thought the wedding was going to be a peaceful event."

"Well if Maria wants a real De Noir introduction, she's going to get that," David responded sarcastically.

Robin narrowed his eyes at David and lowered his voice out of Maria's earshot, "Grow up, will you? The fights over!"

"Oh, I'll grow up alright! But I'm not going to go around falling in love with her and kissing her feet if that's what you want!" David shot back.

Robin roughly pulled his horse next to David. The horses' cries startled Richard and Maria.

Richard, noticing the tension between Robin and David, let out a forced laugh and told Maria it was a typical De Noir discussion at play.  
"Is that a Moonacre rabbit?" He hurriedly said trying to distract her attention towards a hare out in the rode. He shot Robin and David a warning glare before taking her towards it, riding further from the commotion.

Robin returned his focus back to David. There was a dark and deadly gleam in his eyes that made David regret his choice of words.

"You owe her your life. We all do," Robin growled.

"David, Robin does have a point. Try to lighten up a little," Henry said breaking the tension.  
"But Robin, it would help your future heir title if you showed less favoritism to a Merryweather girl. Wouldn't want those charming cousins of yours finding more reason to try to boot you," he added.

"You're all idiots the lot of you. Maria is as good as a friend as any of you. And as I've told every single soul, she's 13. It gets weird."

"Hmm not really, my uncle was 70 when he married his 25 year old wife. They went on to have 2 boys," Henry casually remarked.

"That's gross, your uncle was how old when she was born?" Asked Robin.

"45! Old enough to be her father!" answered David.

"Yup. Four years is nothing compared to that," Henry finished.

The boys all laughed, their mood visibly improving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> True story. My 70 year old great grandpa married my 25 year old great grandma…. Yeah the family was not happy…  
> Anyways, thank you for reading this if you've continued to stick around. This was my first fanfiction ever, so I've heard it starts off pretty slow.... hopefully by now it's getting a bit more interesting. Either way, I appreciate any reviews, especially constructive ones since it's from those that I have been able to improve. Thank you!


	10. A New Friend

The Seaport found a curious sight that afternoon. Four large black stallions and a small white pony made their way through the village port.  
Those that visited often whispered amongst themselves wondering who the identity of the girl was. They all knew the De Noir gang, but this girl, she had never been seen before.  
What's more, the villagers never knew Robin to be so keen with any girl. Although much of her story was told as rumors, many correctly guessed she must be the Moon Princess.

The cool breeze of the ocean gently blew through the village port and carried the exotic and foreign smells brought by merchants from different lands. The breeze provided Maria some comfort, the afternoon sun was beginning to feel hot against her arms. She inhaled the sweet aroma and her eyes searched through the merchants, looking for where the fragrances came from.  
The importers stood outside the stores in caravans. They carried Arabian carpets, French Perfumes, Italian Spices, and colorful fabrics from across the sea as far as China.

Ever so watchful, Maria also observed the girls who eyed her companions, especially Robin. They would stand at their doorways to watch them pass. A few threw Maria some nasty glares. Even some were bold enough call out Robin's name. "Robin! Richard! We've missed you boys!" They would call to them. Waving their handkerchiefs. Although Robin didn't give them any attention Maria bristled.

At the docks, they all dismounted and left their horses at the stables. As the bustle of passengers hurried past by, Maria did her best to hide among the De Noir boys. She didn't want to be swept away by the crowd or get lost. The boys meanwhile searched the docks for the De Noir ships. To their disappointment, the typical red flags adorned with a black lion of the De Noir ships were nowhere in sight.

Robin walked to the port steward who was talking to sailors that had just arrived. He informed Robin that he hadn't heard from any of the De Noir ships since they last departed. He added the best place for information would be to go to the tavern and talk to any sailors that may have come from that area or a similar route.

And so they made their way to the tavern.

As they got closer Richard spoke out, "Robin, I don't think this is a place we should take Maria."

Robin looked to the tavern. It was a large public house with an inn upstairs. There were scantily dressed tavern girls greeting customers. From inside, Robin heard glass breaking and a drunk brawl going on.

"You're probably right," Robin said. "Richard and David, can you take Maria and show her the port while—"

"No, I want to stay!" Maria interrupted. She was curious and wanted to see what the inside looked like. And although she wouldn't outright say it, she did still plan to spend most of her time with a certain Bird Boy.

"This isn't a place for little girls," David said throwing her a cold stare.

Maria scowled. She hated those words. "I am a lady capable of taking care of myself." She said each word with conviction and defiance, daring the boys to go against her.

Robin watched her carefully. He figured trying to stop her might just delay them or cause trouble if she tried to sneak in.  
"Alright let's get on with it. But, I want you to stay by my side," Robin said pointing to Maria.

Maria nodded and the group made their way inside. As they were about to enter, two large men came bursting out the door. Maria jumped out of their way. The large men threw out a few drunk sailors into the streets. Their noses and lips were bloody, one even had a swollen eye.

"That must've been a good fight," mused Richard.

Inside, Maria was hit with the stench of cigar, liquor, and unwashed sailors. She stopped in her tracks and began waving her hand in front of her nose.  
Robin chuckled.

Maria was the only one affected by the smell. Wanting to fit in, she took a deep breath but began to cough as the cigar smell burned her throat like acid. Maria turned red as she struggled to compose herself much to the amusement of the boys. David was especially enjoying the show.

Making their way through the tables of sailors, they finally reached the bar.  
"Have you heard any news about the De Noir ships?" Henry ask.

Maria studied the tavern and met eyes with a sailor who quickly whispered to his companions and smirked her way. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable and grabbed a hold of Robin's arm. Surprised, Robin glanced down to find Maria's arm tightly coiled around his.  
He avoided Richard's smirk and David's eye roll.

Other sailors were playing card games. A few others studied the newcomers, looking for a fight.

"No. Might want to try over there though," the barman responded and pointed to the end of the room where there sat a group of worn looking sailors.  
"They just arrived. May have what you're looking for."

Unlike the rest of the clients, these kept to themselves, hoping to avoid any attention. They sat huddled around their table playing with a deck of cards. A few empty pitchers were being refilled with brandy by some tavern girls. One man chewing a cigar stood out. He was dark and bald, had a large black beard, a gold earring, and wore a blue coat.

"Would any of you happen to know the whereabouts of the De Noirs ships?" Robin asked as they reached the men.

The man with the earing placed his cards down at the table and took one good look at them.  
"Last we saw 'em they were still docked at the French port." He spoke with an accent and took a bite of his cigar.

"What about the sailors or merchants of those ships?" Henry asked.

"Didn't see 'em." The man returned his attention to his game.

"You didn't see anyone? Not one person?" Henry asked beginning to feel impatient.

"No."

"I don't believe you!" Henry slammed his hand on the table, knocking over a pitcher of brandy and soaking the cards. The sailors stood up glaring and rolling their hands into fists. Robin grabbed Henry and pulled him back away from the angry sailors.

The bearded man stood above them. He was twice their size and reached out for Henry, knocking over more pitchers.

Robin jumped in between them.  
"We're just looking for his father, not a fight!" Robin quickly responded.

The man cracked his knuckles and neck. He narrowed his eyes. Behind him a few tavern girls were now cleaning the mess and bringing a new deck of cards.

"Listen kid, we didn't see nothing, we know nothing."

Maria was starting to feel impatient, they were getting nowhere at this rate. Clearly these men were tired, and did not want to be bothered. She would just have to convince them they were worth their time. She stepped out from behind Robin and stood in front of the bearded man looking him straight in the eye.

"How about we play a game of Switch. If I win, you give us all the information you know. If I lose, I'll pay you for your time." She said bringing out a gold sovereign coin.

The sailors laughed. Although she was just taller than his waist, there was a fire in her eyes that amused the bearded sailor. He bent down to her eye level and studied her carefully.

"Alright little lady. You got yourself a deal," he said. He pulled up a chair for Maria and sat across from her. Richard, excited for a good game quickly followed and sat down next to Maria.

"What are you doing?" Robin whispered angrily in her ear. "And where did you get that coin? You're going to get us killed!"

"Do you even know how to play?" Asked David sitting on her other side.

"It's all I have left," Maria responded to Robin with a weak smile. "I used to play games with my dad's friends," Maria answered David taking her seven cards from the table.

"What kind of friends did your father have?" David asked her.

Maria grimaced and shifted her attention to the bearded sailor and the game. She placed her gold coin on the table, ready to begin.

Henry whispered to David, "Robin told me her dad was a gambler and got killed by loan sharks. Didn't even bother to visit her the last time he was in London."

David was surprised by the information, he had always believed Maria was just some rich orphan destined to be a Moon Princess and ruin the De Noirs.

With the cards ready, the dealer, one of the bearded man's soldiers flipped over a 3 of clubs and the game began. Card after card was dealt, by Maria and the bearded sailor matching the number or the suit of the card.  
Henry and Robin remained standing behind Maria. By now curious tavern attendees began to surround the group. Even the Barman stood on his toes watching the game unfold.

The deck of cards grew smaller in size, Maria now had 4 cards on her hand, he had 3. It was his turn and there was a 9 of spades on the table. He watched Maria, and with a sly grin placed an 8 of clubs down, "hearts," He said, changing the suits. His three cards left were hearts.

Maria frowned and placed down a 5 of hearts. He followed with an Ace of hearts and was left with one card in his hand. Sighing she pulled a new card from the drawing deck, praying for it to be a heart. It was better.  
With her other hand, she laid down an 8 of spades and saw the bearded man's mustache twitch.  
"Spades," she said and smiled triumphantly when the bearded sailor groaned.

He pulled 3 new cards from the deck before finally placing down a 3 of spades. Maria followed with a 3 of diamonds, leaving her with 2 cards. He placed down a 5 of diamonds, leaving 3 cards. Maria placed down a 9 of diamonds, and he placed down 8 of diamonds, and announced "hearts."

Maria's face fell, and she slowly reached to pull out a new card from the pool. As her hand was about to touch the deck she placed her last card down and beamed proudly before announcing, "ace of hearts."

The boys jumped in the air cheering her loudly. She laughed as she saw the bearded sailors face fall in disbelief.  
Calmly, she took her coin from the table before being embraced in a tight hug by Robin, Henry and Richard. Maria felt her cheeks burn.

Released she turned to meet David, his green eyes were no longer cold and defensive. He offered her his hand. "Not bad, for a Merryweather."

Maria returned a beaming smile and shook his hand, hopeful he too would become her friend.

"Well what the bloody hell are you all looking at?" Roared the bearded sailor to the audience. They scrambled away back to their tables, leaving him and his men alone with Maria and her friends.

His glare was suddenly broken by a kind smile, "congratulations little lady!" His voice boomed with laughter. He took Marias hand and shook it.

"You got a keen eye about you. Now take a seat," he gestured towards the empty seats.

Maria and her friends all took their seats surrounding the bearded man.

"The names Riz," he said introducing himself.

"Maria Merryweather," Maria said offering her hand. Riz shook it and for a brief moment Maria thought she saw small look of recognition cross his face.

"Now what I'm about to tell you are rumors. But there've been plenty." He said as he placed a cigar in his mouth.

"I'm sure you all 'ave heard 'bout the recent attacks?"

Maria nodded her head recalling her last supper with Mr. De Noir.

"You see, we use to think they were just bandits. Turns out, no one knows what it is. Just the week we were leaving, there were 3 attacks! Three!" He said holding up three thick fingers while his men nodded in agreement.

"Those that 'ave survived say it's not a group of bandits, but just one. Some monster they say, claws and the likes. Who knows. Where was your father going?"

"His route was taking him down towards the German and French border." Henry responded.

"Judging from the time they arrived and the ship still being empty when we left, I reckon they may 'ave been closer to the attacks than you'd like." He pointed to Henry. "Best start praying your father and his men come home safely."

Henry sat back in his chair. He looked defeated.

"Thank you for your time," Maria said.

"It was a pleasure little lady." Riz saluted her as she made her way out with Robin and his friends.

"What now?" Maria asked. She inhaled a breath of fresh air as she stepped outside the tavern.  
She hoped her lungs hadn't taken too much damage.

"We get you home," Robin responded, his usual teasing tone was now serious and commanding.

Maria saw how crestfallen Henry looked and got an idea.

"How about we stop by the manor for some food. Marmaduke's cooking will at least satisfy the stomach if not the heart."

Although both Robin and Henry wanted to get home and tell Mr. De Noir the news, their bellies growled in protest. Robin nodded and once they got on their horses, they made their way back to Moonacre.

The group was silent, contemplating the new information. Robin rode in the back with Henry, and Maria led the way with Richard and David. Maria was happy David was no longer trying to avoid her.

Reaching the Manor grounds, the group ran into Ms. Heliotrope and Digweed. Ms. Heliotrope was shocked to see Maria accompanied by so many young men and her surprise grew at hearing they would be joining her for lunch. Marmaduke, however, was happy to finish some chicken pot pies for the new guests.  
Walking inside, they were amazed by the grandeur and stillness of the Manor. Unlike the De Noir castle, light bounced off the cream-colored walls illuminating the rooms and hallways. The manor had a sweet scent from the flowers that decorated its windows and banisters. Ornate chandeliers that glimmered in the sunlight decorated the high ceilings.  
Their enchantment quickly banished though as a large black lion came bounding their way. Wrolf issued a low growl that shook them to their bones.

"Maria, that's a lion!" Richard said, his eyes wide in shock. Henry and David ducked behind him.

"Don't you recognize him?" teased Maria.

The boys looked at her confused.

"It's Wrolf, their black dog," said Robin with a chuckle.

"But Robin, that's not a dog it's a lion!" shouted David.

Maria explained to them that after the curse was broken, Wrolf took his real form, a black lion. She casually remarked that as her friends, he would not hurt them and continued her way to the dining room followed by Robin.

The boys looked at each other and slowly stepped away from Wrolf causing him to roar. The boys took off in fear, sprinting in the direction Maria and Robin had left.

Once they were seated, Marmaduke served them chicken pot pies, steamed carrots, and roasted ham with meringue tart for dessert. As food filled their bellies, their mood lightened up. Soon they were all laughing at a new story Richard told about the time they got lost in the forest for a whole day and night when they first started going out on hunts together.

"It's time for us to get going, thank you for the food, Princess," Robin said as he and his friends got up to leave.

"I hope you hear news from your father, Henry," Maria said.

Henry responded with a small smile. Richard, Henry, and David waved goodbye as they left to the stables, leaving Maria alone with Robin. They stood in silence looking at one another.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to see much of the port today," Robin said breaking the silence.

"It's alright, I still had fun. I beat some ruffian sailors at a card game!" Maria beamed proudly.

"Thank you for the game, I know Henry appreciated it." Robin's brown eyes were sincere and looked deep into her eyes.

Maria felt a blush coming on. She smiled and looked down to her boots. Robin raised out his arm a placed it under Maria's chin gently raising her face. At his touch, she felt her blood shoot up to her cheeks and desperately wanted to hide her face.

"I may not be able to see you until the wedding…"

Maria half smiled. She had expected him to be busy. The wedding was after all at the De Noir castle, and if she learned anything from today with Loveday, there was much to do.

"You're going to have to make it up to me then," Maria stated.

A coy smile appeared at one end of his lips. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is that so? And how should I do that?"

"I want to explore more of the tunnels in the Moon Princess' dwelling before I leave."

"Deal. Until then Moon Princess, it'll be just the two of us!" Robin winked and left to join his friends.


	11. A Reunion and A Wedding

"Robin, where are you?" Maria called out. She was out in the forest late at night. The cold wind rustled the leaves and blew past Maria's night dress, sending shivers down her spine. The only light was that from the stars, the moon was nowhere in sight. The fog was so thick she could just make out the floor underneath her.

_Where is he?_ She thought.

"Moon Princess, I'm over here!"

"Over here!"

"No over here!"

Maria turned to look in all directions, but she couldn't make out where the voice came from.

"Robin, stop playing! Where are you?" Maria was beginning to feel frustrated. She couldn't understand why she was convinced to come out. In fact, the more she thought of it, the more she realized she didn't know what she was doing out here.

_Snap._

Maria bolted behind a nearby tree. She felt her heart quicken. She heard another twig break.  
She peeked around the trunk. Although she couldn't see through the fog, she got a feeling that she was being watched.

Maria yelped as a cold hand snaked around her waist from behind. She turned, readying her hand to strike at the culprit.

"Robin?" Maria cried out in surprise. She found herself trapped in his arms.

"Happy to see me?" Robin asked with an arrogant smile as he pulled Maria closer with every word.  
He was dressed in his black shirt and leather pants, his bowler hat and red feathered scarf were nowhere to be seen. His hand rested firmly on her lower back. She could feel his strength as he pressed her against him. He leaned in closer. His nose was a mere inch from her's.  
Maria could feel his heart beating against her chest. Her ears burned.

"Robin, what are we doing here?" She asked. "We can't be seen like this."  
Maria frantically looked around and tried to push away, but his hold was strong.

"Don't worry, we won't." Robin took a firm hold on Maria's chin and forced her to look at him. His touch was cold and hard. His charcoal-lined eyes had a dark glint. His smile was no longer light and mischievous. It was eager, almost sinister.

"Robin, this isn't you."

"Oh but it is." Robin pulled Maria's face towards him. In a state of panic, Maria used all of her strength to push him away. His form vanished and Maria fell forwards, landing on all fours.

He was gone.  
All she saw were trees and darkness. The few trees she could see through the fog no longer looked like any trees she's seen before. The dark brown trunks twisted and turned, reaching for her. A few dead leaves clung to the branches.

Through the trees she saw a hooded figure, hunched over a large white animal. She walked towards it.  
No, that can't be, it's the white horse!  
As she got closer, she heard the hooded creature's breathing. It was slow and raspy. There was another sound, munching. Each crunch rang through her ears and made Maria feel sick.

"Excuse me," Maria called out, there was a quiver in her voice. "What are you doing with the white horse?"

The hooded figure stopped moving.

Maria took a few cautious steps.  
She recoiled in disgust as her foot stepped on something warm and sticky. Her toes were red, covered with the same red liquid that surrounded the creature- it was blood.  
Then a stench hit her nose. Maria felt her stomach wrench. The smell of raw meat and blood was overwhelming. She reached out a trembling hand and tapped the figure. It released a shrill cry and turned to face her.

Horror crossed Maria's face as she released a blood-curdling scream.

"Maria! Maria wake up!"

Maria woke up with a start, her heart was racing. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. Her eyes searched, looking for the creature.

She had to tell everyone, she had to protect Moonacre. Instead, her eyes met Ms. Heliotrope. Maria was in her room again.  
It was a dream.  
It had seemed so real.  
The creature, no the monster, its face was still vividly etched onto her memory. It was white, wrinkly, sunken in, and had small beady red eyes. It had a hole for a mouth, filled with sharp teeth. There were shreds of meat stuck to them. Blood covered its face.

She pulled back her covers. Her feet were clean, no longer red from blood.

"Goodness, Maria are you alright?" Ms. Heliotrope asked.

"Ms. Heliotrope, I—I had a dream. There was a monster. It was eating a white horse. Moonacre's White Horse! There was blood everywhere, Moonacre's in trouble! I've got to warn everyone!"

Ms. Heliotrope let out a hearty laughter. "Oh, Maria it was just a dream. Moonacre is not in any danger. Come now you must get ready. The wedding is in a few hours!"

Maria's eyes widened. Her heart stopped. The wedding. Uncle's and Loveday's wedding! It was today, and that meant in two days she was leaving to boarding school.

Maria groaned and fell back against her bed. Her head reeling.

"Maria that is not proper behavior. We leave in few hours!"

Maria let out a sigh and managed to roll out of bed. She began to pull out her dresses.

"Maria," Ms. Heliotrope called. She walked to Maria and took her hands into her own. "I—I was hoping you would do me the favor of wearing a new dress. I got it for your birthday tomorrow."

"My birthday? I completely forgot!"

Ms. Heliotrope smiled and pulled out a large cream-colored box with a green bow from under the bed. Maria opened the box to reveal a beautiful green silk gown with a large hoop skirt.

With Ms. Heliotropes help, Maria put it on. It was an off-shoulder dress with low neckline and white lace trim. The sleeves reached down to her elbows. Pearls were sprinkled across the gown and a white Malmaison rose was placed centered between her chest. The bodice ended at a peak below her waist and gave Maria a very flattering figure.

Ms. Heliotrope styled her hair into a half up-do parted down the middle. Along her head, Ms. Heliotrope added a braided crown with small white flowers woven in. A few short curls framed her face and her loose hair, which had grown to the middle of her back, was curled and covered her shoulders like a copper veil. White petunias decorated the back of her head.

"Maria you are growing up into a beautiful lady," Ms. Heliotrope said with a sigh. "All eyes will be on you, especially Robins."

Maria giggled. "What about you Ms. Heliotrope, will you be catching Digweed's eyes too?"

Ms. Heliotrope blushed, "silly girl." She muttered under her breath.

"I heard that. And I am not a silly girl, I am a silly lady."

For a final touch, Ms. Heliotrope added some makeup. She tinted Maria's lips red, powdered her nose, and added some black to her eyelashes. This was Maria's first time wearing make-up. She looked in the mirror, nervous she wouldn't like it. She gasped in surprise at the young lady staring back. The red lips and mascara made Maria look older and sophisticated.

"And now my dear, we are ready!"

The wedding was to take place at the De Noir castle. This would be her first time going back since the day she was captured, a thought that made her uneasy. Maria joined Sir Benjamin and Ms. Heliotrope in the carriage.

Sir Benjamin, who wore a black tailcoat and red bow, momentarily stopped his nervous fidgeting to tell Maria she looked beautiful. Ms. Heliotrope wore a dark plum ball-gown with a bustle skirt. Sticking to tradition and comfort, the ball-gown was long-sleeved and buttoned up to her neck. She wore a small feathered hat to the side of her grey bun. Simple yet elegant.  
Digweed sat atop the carriage watching Ms. Heliotrope with his mouth open and bumbling his greeting to the two ladies. Once they were ready, Digweed steered the large grey horses towards the De Noir Castle. Wrolf followed the carriage before disappearing into the woods, finding his own way to the De Noir castle where he could watch over his family.

The castle came into view.  
It was just as imposing and grey as it was the first time she saw it. Except now, wreaths made of leaves, buds, and pink and white flowers adorned the entrance way; a sharp contrast to the dark castle stone or the black and red flags that flew freely. She heard Ms. Heliotrope gasp. Ms. Heliotrope could not believe the wedding ceremony was to take place inside this castle. Sir Benjamin was too busy preparing himself for the mixed reception he was sure to receive, to notice the additional decorations on the castle.

Sir Benjamin and his party stepped off the carriage. They were led to the castle church by a man who introduced himself as Robin's tutor, Mr. Havisham. He was a man well into his 50's with large greying sideburns and round rim glasses that sat atop his pointed nose. Although Maria wished it had been Robin who met them, she found his commentary of the De Noirs to be funny. Maria followed along as her eyes searched through the faces. Sir Benjamin went to take his place by the altar and await his beloved.

Maria sat at the end of the aisle beside Ms. Heliotrope. She craned her neck, her search still ongoing.

"Maria, a lady should maintain her eyes fixated to the front," Ms. Heliotrope scolded her. "I'm sure Robin will make his appearance in no time," she added with a soft smile.

Maria's mouth fell, she struggled to respond but finding no defense, pursed her lips and reluctantly forced herself to stare at the altar instead. Sir Benjamin rocked anxiously on his heels and only stopped when he noticed Maria watching him with a smile.

The music began playing and guests started to settle down. Maria recognized a few distant Merryweather relatives she had not seen in a long time. The Merryweathers, annoyed with the feud as her own father was, left Moonacre to make their homes elsewhere. Sir Benjamin was the only one who had stayed behind. Maria was sure he stayed because of Loveday. Maria could only imagine how both families must be feeling at the moment about the Merryweather-De Noir wedding. She also took note of the De Noir side. Although their attire was formal, they wore dark colors of purple, red, burgundy, blue, and black. Many of the women had their hair adorned with crystals and feathers.

The doors burst open and at the entrance stood Loveday in all her beauty surrounded by her bridesmaids. Her hair was adorned with feathers and red flowers in a beautiful updo with curls that framed her face. She wore a white lace and silk dress. The dress hung elegantly off her shoulders with lace trim and red ribbon for the hem. Matching her dress was a pearl necklace with a small red ruby pendant.

While the guests were distracted with Loveday, Robin entered away from anyone's sight. He searched through the crowds, looking for Maria. Robin was disappointed he wasn't able to greet her at the door. All morning he had been sent around readying the castle and helping Loveday with last minute preparations.  
His frustrations disappeared with his breath the moment he laid eyes on her. Her green dress brought out the strawberry hues of her hair and flattered her pale skin. Green was his favorite color and in his heart, she looked like a fairy princess of the forest, his forest. Robin gulped as he felt a strange feeling in his heart. He hid in between the guests, and made his way to Maria, knocking a few shoulders. As he got closer, he saw her searching through the guests. He snuck behind her and leaned close to her ear. Robin caught her aroma and immediately fought the urge to bury his face into her hair.

"Looking for me?" Robin whispered in her ear.

Startled, Maria jumped and smacked Robin on his chest.

"It's good to see you too," Robin said with a smug grin. His hair had been pulled to the side. Instead of his usual leather attire, he wore a black suit over his white shirt and a feather on his lapel.

"Robin! When did you get here?" Maria asked.

Robin leaned once more towards Maria, "I've been here all along."

His breath against her skin sent her heart pounding. Maria's mind went to her dreams, recalling his strong embrace. She turned bright red. She didn't like how easily he got to her. She heard Robin chuckle.

"I wanted to give you something." Robin reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small gift wrapped in brown paper.  
"Loveday told me it's your birthday tomorrow. It's nothing really, just something small." Robin handed her the package and feeling embarrassed, quickly left to sit at the De Noir side.

Confused, Maria carefully opened the gift and let out a small gasp at what she had received. It was a black leather pouch with a Moon and feather engraved onto it. Each drawstring had a pearl and hawk feather attached at the end. Maria read the note:

_Dear Maria,_   
_Please use this pouch to carry your stones._   
_As promised, let's mark another_   
_passageway before you leave._   
_Happy Birthday!_   
_Yours,_   
_Robin_

Maria smiled, she loved the gift! She stored it into her handbag and looked towards Robin who was apprehensively watching her.  
'Thank you' she mouthed and gave him her biggest smile. A look of relief crossed his face.

Loveday now stood beside Sir Benjamin. The Old Parson took his place and the wedding began.  
During the ceremony, Maria occupied her time sneaking glances with Robin. Robin sat with his friends who were all smartly dressed, their usual leather outfits and bowler caps were nowhere in sight. She was surprised by how good looking they all were. Even Henry, with his hair no longer shielding his face, was just as handsome. He had deep-set light-blue eyes, a well-defined jawline, and a strong nose. Although his mouth was set firm, his eyes showed patience and wisdom. There was also a hint of sadness in them. Maria frowned. It must be because of his father.

Behind them sat a group of boys and a girl similar in age. The girl had curly brunette hair that was pinned back in an updo. She stuck her nose in the air and looked down on those around her. Next to her was a boy who had jet black hair and shared similar facial features to the girl. They both had pointed noses with a slight hook, slender faces, and deep-set eyes. The boy would occasionally glare at Robin. Neither were ugly, but Maria felt like they looked like a pair of birds.

_Just what is it with the De Noirs and birds?_ Maria thought to herself. She had in mind they should change the emblem on the De Noir flags from a black lion to a hawk. As she was finishing her thought, the boy directed his piercing glare at her and Maria quickly turned away. She did not like the look he gave her.

After the ceremony, the guests were led into the great hall to continue the festivities with food.

"Maria you look stunning!" Loveday gushed taking Maria into her arms. "But you know what's missing?" Loveday plucked a feather from her hair and placed it elegantly in Maria's.  
"Much better," she said giving Maria a kiss on her check.

"Loveday I think the real beauty here is you. You look gorgeous, welcome to the family," Maria responded. Loveday took Maria by the hand and introduced her to some De Noir relatives.

They were all ushered to their seats as Marmaduke made his presence known. Loveday had asked him to be the head chef and maker of the cake, a task he was honored to take.  
"The feast is ready, Bon Appetit!" He announced and kissed his hand with gusto.

Servants came through the doors carrying carts filled with fresh bread, salads, rotisserie chicken, and pulled pork. Others stood by with jugs filled with pale cider, red wine, and fruit cordials. The feast was served and everyone ate, satisfying their stomachs and enjoying the celebration.

Maria, Ms. Heliotrope, and Loveday were talking about the day's festivity when the great hall doors were opened and the butler announced, "Mr. Harold Dalton and guest."

A few gasps were heard around the room and Henry stood up. Through the doors walked a worn looking man who wore a dark grey cap on top of greying black hair and a burly mustache that decorated a large smile. He was followed by a younger man with shaggy hair pulled back into a ponytail. He looked gaunt and pale.

"Father! Luke!" Henry shouted, he rushed out of his seat and gave his father a hug.

"Harold, it was about time you showed up!" Greeted Mr. De Noir.

"I'm sorry Coeur, ran into some trouble…" Harold trailed off as he acknowledged the guests.


	12. Welcome to the De Noirs

Loveday and Sir Benjamin stood up to greet the newcomer.  
"Mr. Dalton! It's good to see you!" Loveday welcomed Harold with a smiled, "please join us, there's plenty of room for everyone."

Harold and Luke bowed and made their way towards them.

A servant squeezed in two chairs between Mr. De Noir and Robin for Harold and Luke to sit in. Harold sat down wearily, letting the weight of his body sink into his seat. Luke struggled to sit down, not wanting to bend his torso.

"Harold, it's been over two months!" Coeur said.

Harold took off his cap and ran his hands through his hair. "We ran into some trouble. Fred's gone." His voice was strained.

Mr. De Noir took a drink from his goblet. "What happened?"

Luke and Harold exchanged looks. Guests sitting near were listening intently. Henry stood behind Harold, not wanting to leave his father's side.

"We were attacked," Harold finally responded as he leaned into the table, not wanting others to hear.

"Attacked? Like the rumors?"

Harold jerked his head towards Luke, "this one's lucky to be alive. Almost got dragged off. Had a hard time recovering," Harold paused looking around again. A few other guests were trying to listen in. Harold warily looked towards Maria, Sir Benjamin, and Ms. Heliotrope who were listening intently.

"It's alright, they're family now," Loveday said putting an arm over Benjamin's shoulders.

"Dragged away? What could thieves possibly want with merchants?" Mr. Havisham asked. He had moved to stand behind Coeur in order to hear them better.

"It's not thieves," Luke said. He paled as his thoughts took him back. Back to the night his torso had been torn open and he had almost been carried away like a sack of food.  
"It's not bandits," he repeated as he raised his shirt to reveal a large scar, still red and tender along his torso.

Those that could see gasped in horror. Luke slowly lowered his shirt and felt his head reeling. He swayed in his seat and Harold had to place a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"I think this matter deserves a private conversation," Mr. Havisham said.

Harold nodded. "The merchandise made it, Luke could still use some rest though."

"Certainly," Mr. De Noir snapped his fingers and the butler appeared once more. The butler escorted Luke to one of the guest rooms and called for his meal to be taken up with him.

Maria felt her head spin. She recalled the bearded sailor's information, and now seeing Luke's scar, there was something about it all that seemed familiar to her. But she couldn't quite make it out.

Robin saw the strained look on Maria's face. "Princess, are you alright?" He asked her.

The adults shared glances between each other. Sir Benjamin narrowed his eyes in Robin's direction only to be smacked in the arm by Loveday. Harold raised his eyebrows as he looked between the two.

"Ah, so this is the Moon Princess. It's nice to finally meet you," Harold said to Maria.

"I –uh—yes, pleasure to meet you," Maria responded. She was embarrassed to be referred to as the Moon Princess in such a public setting.

"I hear you saved all of Moonacre."

Maria blushed. She noticed a few De Noirs had turned to look at her.  
"I couldn't have done it without Robin or Loveday though," She responded.

"Robin really? What did you do to get that boy to help you? Last I heard he and Henry were trying to catch you."

Maria explained how she had trapped Robin and forced him to help her. It was the first time telling the story and they were all extremely amused. Robin's friends could not stop laughing and Mr. De Noir shook his head in mocking disappointment.

Robin felt his ears burn out of embarrassment. He narrowed his eyes at Maria. Realizing the embarrassment she was causing him, she quickly carried her story along to when they were in the amphitheater.

"Loveday, who else do I have the pleasure of meeting today?" Harold asked.

"This is my husband, Sir Benjamin Merryweather, his niece is Maria, and this is her governess Ms. Heliotrope," Loveday introduced them. "Mr. Dalton, it's been so long. I'm glad to see you still haven't given in to my father's demand of wearing that leather attire," Loveday joked.

"No, that's too theatrical for me," Harold said. "Can you imagine, strolling through the gentry streets of France or Italy covered in leather and feathers? I'd look like a black rooster!"

They all laughed at his statement, trying to imagine how a leather-clad De Noir would fit in.

"I'm glad Coeur finally took his head out of his arse and made peace," Harold added.

Coeur glowered and mumbled some words under his breath to the amusement of everyone.

As the feast was finished, the guests were escorted to the ballroom to continue the celebration with dancing. Maria had lost sight of her family and was left standing by herself. Servants brushed past her, carrying platters of Marmaduke's freshly baked scones, tarts, cakes, and pies that filled the ballroom with a sweet aroma.  
She saw the tall dark haired boy who had been sitting behind Robin. He stood on the far end of the room on the stairs where he could watch everyone. He was surrounded by the brunette girl and a few other boys. They were watching her, their faces hinted a look of reproach.

Maria narrowed her eyes but returned her attention towards the dance floor. As she did so, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned and was relieved to see Robin and his friends.

"You were looking lonely there princess," said Robin.

"It's a shame no one mustered any courage to be your escort," Henry said, rolling his eyes in Robin's direction. Since his father's arrival, Henry's mood had visibly improved.

Robin elbowed Henry in response but Maria paid no attention.

"Don't mind me. I do hope to dance some songs though," Maria said looking at Robin.

"Well who could ever deny the Moon Princess the pleasure of dancing, Maria can I have this dance?" Richard interjected offering his arm to Maria to everyone's surprise. Robin's eyes darkened as he clenched his hands into a fist.

Maria hesitantly took it and was quickly led to the dance floor. She turned back towards Robin but he was looking off to the side. Soon the dancers blocked Maria's view of Robin as they disappeared into the crowd.

"Let's go grab some drinks," Robin said turning on his heels.

They stood by the bar. Robin was glaring off into the distance. Henry and David looked at one another, wondering who should break the silence.  
By the time Henry spoke up, Robin was on his third drink already.

"Robin, don't mean to bud in…. but you best get on with Maria quick before Richard, or any other, takes her." Henry warned him.

Robin rolled his eyes, "shut up, she means nothing."

David scoffed, "Alright, well when you catch them snogging don't take it out on us."

As if slapped in the face, Robin slammed his empty cup down and left Henry and David, disappearing between the guests.

Richard led Maria to the center of the ballroom. Maria tried to give him her attention but could not shut down the disappointment she felt. It was Robin who she wanted to dance with and he had shown no desire to dance with her. In fact, it looked like he didn't even want to be there.

"You look beautiful, Maria," Richard said.

"Thank you Richard, I didn't know you danced," Maria said, forcing a smile.

"Good looks aren't always enough to charm the beautiful ladies. We have to dance well too." Richard winked and spun Maria.

She had to admit, dressed in his dark blue dress shirt that brought out his blue eyes and black slacks, Richard did look handsome. She let out a small giggled and decided she was not going to stop herself from enjoying this wedding because of Robin.

They finished the dance together and were about to start the next one, when Robin appeared from behind Richard. His face was flushed red, it was hard and determined. His gaze pierced through Maria. He had taken off his jacket and loosened the top few buttons of his dress shirt.

"Maria, can I have this dance?" He asked.

"Looks like your prince finally arrived," Richard said to Maria.  
Turning around he whispered to Robin, "took you long enough, I was about to fall in love with her too."

Robin narrowed his eyes as Richard walked away with a large grin on his face, ready to ask the next beautiful lady out to dance.

"I—yes, yes of course," Maria responded. She didn't know what to make of Robin at the moment. His stare was so intense, yet he looked lost. Robin took a few more steps towards her and they stood facing each other.

Robin was indeed at a lost. He had been ready to take Maria but as he walked to her, he was struck by her beauty. Her hair shined underneath the glitter of the chandeliers. Her large vibrant eyes filled with curiosity and energy, sparked bright and stared into his soul. He noticed her usually pink lips were now red and he was filled with an intense desire to embrace her in his arms and kiss her. The alcohol in his system didn't make things any better. His legs felt loose and unsteady, his heart was pounding ready to burst out. Robin planted himself in place and refused to move, afraid of what he might do next.

Robin's face was deadpan and Maria began to feel embarrassed.  
Does he not want to dance with me? She asked herself. She shifted her weight and looked around, hoping they didn't draw any attention. He took a few last steps towards her until he was right in front of her. The song began to play, couples began to dance, a few skirts bumped into Maria and Robin, yet they still stood there looking at one another.

"Are you ok, Robin?" Maria asked as she looked into his eyes.

At hearing her voice, Robin's thoughts came crashing down. He laughed sheepishly and pushed all thoughts of Maria to the side of his head, annoyed with himself for thinking of them in the first place. Although she looked older, Robin reminded himself, she was still much younger than he was. His mind went back to what Sir Benjamin had said about him, cutting deep into his heart.

"Yes sorry, Princess. Shall we?" Robin asked, snapping his thoughts back into place.

Just as Loveday had forced him to practice, he carefully placed his arm around Maria's waist and took her hand into his other one. He took extra care to keep his hold light, keeping his thoughts at bay while his heart still pounded in his ears that now burned.

His touch was so soft Maria was sure his hand just barely hovered over her waist.  
Maria laughed, "Robin it's alright, I won't break if you hold me." Maria noticed his ears and cheeks turned red, "Robin, have you danced before?"

He scoffed.  
"Of course!" He said defending himself and cursing that his hair and hat were no longer in place to hide his embarrassment.

Maria looked him straight in the eye, not believing his word.

"Oh alright, only a bit," he finally admitted looking into the side.

Maria smiled and grasped his hand while placing her arm on his shoulder.  
"Then show me what you can do," Maria said teasing him.

At her challenge, Robin's mischievous grin returned to his handsome face and caused butterflies to fly in Maria's stomach. He took Maria into a slow waltz, doing his best to focus on Loveday's lessons. They danced small circles, and with each one, he pulled her closer to him. Soon Robin grew confident in his skills and began to lead Maria about the dance floor. He was grateful for the times Loveday had dragged him out of bed to practice weeks before her wedding. Maria's heart danced along, happy at finally getting the chance to dance with him.

As the song came to an end, Robin spun Maria one last time. Her eyes caught sight of that same black haired boy. She was beginning to feel he didn't like her and had kept an especially close eye on her.

"Robin, who is that boy over there?" Maria asked Robin pointing to the figure.

Robin looked and a frown crossed his face. Maria felt him tense.

"Don't pay him any attention, it's my cousin, Charles De Noir. One of the few wanting to the inheritance."

"Oh," Maria said.

From the side, an energetic Sir Benjamin approached Maria and Robin. He was followed by an embarrassed Loveday.

"My dear niece! Can I have this dance?" Sir Benjamin asked her.

Maria laughed and took his hand, she had never seen him this happy before. The two left to dance.

"Loveday, why did you invite Charles and his lot?"

She shook her head before replying. "Robin, it was your father's idea. He believed leaving them out would give them the pleasure of thinking we were ashamed of marrying a Merryweather. And well you know me, I will not be anyone's fool!"

"They've been glaring at Maria all day," Robin said with a sigh.

Loveday smiled and placed her head on his shoulders. "I don't think it's Maria that's the problem. I think it's your attachment to her."

Robin snorted.

"It's true, you marrying Maybelle will give them the connection to the De Noir money they so desperately want. But if you go on with a Merryweather, well they will just look for another way—"

Robin groaned. "I don't like Maria. I will not marry her, nor Maybelle," he said before turning away to search for his friends.

Robin had found his friends away from the dance floor. Henry, who avoided dancing at all costs had hidden himself in the shadows. David had followed along. Although he liked dancing, he wasn't too confident in his skills to dance with any of the young ladies. Richard was off to the side, he had found himself a girl he was busy flirting with.

The evening was spent in merry waltzing. After a few hours of drinking, the Merryweathers and De Noirs began to warm up to each other. Those that had drunk too much wine even danced together. That is, if wobbling about the dance floor could be called dancing. Ms. Heliotrope and Digweed shyly waltzed a few songs themselves.

Much to Robin's annoyance, Maria had been at the dance floor all evening. He tried many times to dance with her, but every time he approached her, another boy would jump in and get to her before he did. It seemed he would not get another chance to dance with her. He saw how much fun she was having and wished he was by her side.

She doesn't need me. What would she even want with me? A mixture of emotions flooded him. He couldn't understand why he was getting so worked up about her. He couldn't understand how he had let her get to him. Frustrated he left to grab another drink.

"She's quite popular, ain't she?" David remarked as he caught up with Robin.

Robin only grunted in response.

"Seems to have a hold on you, still think its witchcraft though," David added with a laugh.

Robin rolled his eyes, his annoyance was only growing. Though he was starting to wonder if David was right. What was going on with him?

"That aside, I overheard Charles' friends talking. They've been keeping a close eye on Maria and want to get her alone. I reckoned you'd want to know," David warned him.

Robin searched through the crowd and sure enough, found Charles and his sister glaring at Maria. Charles then turned to Robin and a cold smile appeared on his lips. Robin nodded to David and walked away towards the forest where he knew his cousin would follow.

David waved to Henry and pointed in Robin's direction. Knowing something was wrong, Henry dragged a reluctant Richard away from the pretty girl and over to David where together they left to follow Robin.

They were quickly followed by Charles' and his friends. Charles had left his sister to watch over Maria.

As she finished her dance, Maria escaped the dance floor looking for some rest. She went to sit by Loveday and her uncle.

"Loveday, where's Robin?" she asked.

"I saw him go outside, possibly the forest."

Maria decided she too could use a breath of fresh air and went off to find Robin. A few minutes later, the curly haired brunette followed the same path as Maria to the forest.

Within the forest, Maria heard voices. Stepping silently, just as Robin had taught her, she walked closer to the source.  
She found Robin and his friends talking in a small clearing.

Soon, another group came marching in, it was Charles and his gang. Her instincts told her to stay hidden, feeling the animosity between the two groups.

"About time we found you, Robin. This forest is dreadful, were it mine it would've been cut down long ago and made into lumber," Charles said, his voice was snobby and cold.

Robin was leaning against a tree. His hands were in his pockets and he studied Charles. "Then it's a good thing it's not yours, and never will be."

His words stopped Charles in his track. He was about to retort when he quickly thought of another way to get back at his cousin.

"This wedding has been quite… interesting," Charles mused. His friends snickered.  
"When we received Loveday's invitation, I couldn't believe my ears. Just as we predicted, like a tamed dog your father accepted a Merryweather with his tail between his legs."

Robin crossed his arms and glared at Charles. His night was not getting any better. His only thought of relief was that Maria had stayed in the safety of the wedding.

"And Loveday, what is she thinking coming back to the family. She shames us all. She proves your family is incapable of carrying the De Noir name."

Robin's eyes threw daggers of hatred towards Charles. He felt his blood boil and tense, ready to pounce on Charles.

Henry placed a hand on his shoulder, "drop it Robin, no use fighting."

"Look at you Henry, such a friend. If only your father was as good as a merchant. He cost the family hundreds."

Now it was Richard's and David's turn to keep the peace. They stood in front of Robin and Henry. Their arms crossed and ready to defend their friends.

"What, Robin can't defend himself?" Charles asked. "Speaking of which, Robin I heard you're losing your touch, letting yourself get caught in a trap by a little girl." Charles continued pacing the floor, pulling all sorts of information to taunt and anger Robin and his friends.

"Although I hear you two spend quite a lot of time together? I'm almost certain you liked being trapped."

Robin glared but refused to answer.

"Maria isn't it? A Merryweather!" Charles spat. "It's a fortune your mother died before this, imagine what she'd think of her two children running around with Merryweathers."

Robin lunged towards Charles, landing a fist on his face. David and Richard quickly got a hold of him and pulled Robin back from Charles.

"I see you're as barbaric as always. Did I strike a nerve? Was it because of your mother or Maria?" Charles paused, waiting for an answer. At only receiving Robin's glare he continued, "I can see why you like her, she is pretty. Just imagine how beautiful she'll look in a few years—if she lives that long."

"Leave her alone, she has nothing to do with this!" Shouted Robin.

"She has everything to do with it! She's always by your side after all, so I hear. I am almost certain your feelings for her are more than that of a friend… I wonder if she feels the same," Charles paused and took a look around the forest.

At his words Maria's stomach flipped. _What? Does he think Robin likes me?_ Maria wondered. Although she had to admit her feelings for him lately were, odd, she was sure Robin did not feel anything more for her. But then she remembered the pouch, their outings together, his promise at the beach, and her heart fluttered.

Behind Maria, a slim shadow silently crept closer.

"The young ones can be a lot of fun," Charles said as his eyes scanned the trees, stopping in Maria's direction. "So innocent, so pure, so much to ruin."

 _Did he see me?_ _No, he couldn't have,_ Maria thought as she pushed herself further against the tree. His words made Maria cringe. Now more than ever she did not wish to meet him.

Suddenly Maria felt a hand push her from behind. The same hand caught her arm and pulled her up, dragging her along. It was the curly haired brunette. Her face was filled with contempt and she wore a smug smile, proud of herself.

"Ah my sister, so good of you to join us. And I see you brought us the girl," Charles said to them. Then he turned to look at Robin, "take note, Robin. This is how you catch a Moon Princess."

Maria kicked the girl's shin and ran to Robin, "Oh you little brat!" she shouted as she bent over her leg. "Wait till I get my hands on you!" She limped after Maria only for Robin to step in between them.  
Robin and his friends were not happy to see Maybelle or Maria. A look of concern crossed their faces. They all knew it would not be a peaceful night.

Maybelle laughed, "Oh child, do you really think Robin would want anything to do with you?" As she spoke she grabbed Robin's hand and pulled him to her. Maybelle wrapped her arms around Robin and stroked his face, bringing it close to hers. She kissed his cheek while maintaining eye contact with Maria the entire time.

Maria began to feel her anger rising. _Who was this girl to call her a child or act so forward with Robin?_

Robin struggled to get away. Maybelle turned to Maria and said, "you do know we're supposed to get married."

Maria's eyes widened.

"He never told you?" Maybelle mocked. "Well, why would he? You're just a little girl."

"Maybelle shut up we're not engaged and never have been!" Robin shouted as he pushed her away.

Robin walked to Maria but Maybelle beat him to her. Before Maria could get away, Maybelle grabbed Maria by the arm once more and dug her nails into her skin. She then pulled Maria's hair and whispered into her ear, "You will never get him, he's mine!"

The rest of Charles' gang moved to block the De Noir boys from getting near Maria.

"Maybelle, you hurt one hair on Maria and I will personally make sure you never come near Moonacre ever again!" Robin warned her, the deadly glint was back in his eye. He was seething with rage. He wanted to protect Maria, and instantly hated that she was here right now. This would have been much easier without her. _You should have stayed at the wedding,_ he thought.

A loud roar shook the forest and broke Robin's thoughts. Wrolf came running straight towards Maria and Maybelle. Fear took a hold of Maybelle's heart. She quickly let go of Maria and ran behind Charles. Charles and his friends grouped together, away from the lion who now took a defensive stance in front of Maria. His long claws were drawn and a menacing growled issued from deep within the lion.

Charles did his best to feign bravery but his pale face and shaky hands said otherwise. Turning to Robin he resumed his mockery.  
"So it's true. You do care for the Moon Princess. Too much. Too keep the De Noir reputation, she must be removed. What would be the best demise for a moon princess… kidnapping… death…a ruined virtue..." Charles continued, taking turns between watching Robin and Wrolf carefully.

"Don't you dare, you bastard! She means nothing!" Robin shouted before he could comprehend what he was saying.

"I don't believe you—"

"She's just an annoying little girl!" Robin bellowed as he lunged once more towards Charles.

Robin let flow a flurry of punches, knocking Charles to the ground. Henry quickly followed, landing a kick to Charles' stomach. Together, Robin and Henry unleashed their anger on Charles, pummeling him further to the ground. Robin's words vibrated through his own heart. He knew he had made a mistake. He hated himself for hurting Maria. His regret added fire to the flame of his anger and took the form of punches.

Maria felt the world slow down at Robin's words. They pierced her heart, a pain so sharp she could've never imagined it.

Maybelle tugged at her hair in desperation. Try as she might, she couldn't pull the boys apart. Charles's friends quickly jumped in and were punching Henry and Robin, failing to stop their relentless attack on Charles.

Maria's eyes watered, blurring the chaos ahead. She could just make out the boys as they rolled round in the ground, punching one another.

Charles knew his cousin was much stronger than him. And although he was proud to have broken through Robin's defense, he had underestimated his affection for Maria. In that moment, as punch after punch found their way through Charles' defenses, he feared for his life. He curled into a ball and took out his knife from his boot. Feeling a strong grasp on the hilt he sprung up hoping to strike the cousin he hated so much.

"Robin he has a knife!" shouted David.

There was a sickening crack. Richard and David pounded through Charles' friends, making their way to Robin. They just managed to pull the two cousins away. Charles' nose was skewed and squirting blood, in his hand there was a bloody knife. Robin's eye was purple, and his lip was split. He pressed his hand tightly to his side. Both had bruises on their arms and torso, their shirts had torn from the fight and they were covered in dirt and blood.

"Without your leather, it's much easier to cut your skin. I wonder how easy it would be to cut through Maria's pale skin." Charles wheezed holding his side, he was sure he had broken a rib. Maybelle pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the blood from Charles' face.

"Just you wait, I got another round for you," Robin spat blood between his words.

"Stop it you fools!" Maria yelled. She could see blood spilling from Robin's side. His shirt was torn open revealing gash that stretched across Robin's left ribs.

They turned to look at her. Robin's eyes were pained. Charles looked at her with mocking amusement.

"How dare you insult Loveday, her parents, and threaten my reputation!" Maria shouted storming towards Charles. She slapped his face, staining her hand with his blood. His friends tried to grab her but David and Wrolf jumped in between them.

She turned to Robin, her eyes livid with anger.  
"I'm just an annoying girl? I mean nothing? I thought you were my friend!"  
Maria reached for the hem of her dress and tore it off. Kneeling beside Robin she began to wrap his wound as Ms. Heliotrope had once taught her. Maybelle lunged for Maria but David stepped in from the side and stopped her. He held her hands behind her back and shoved her to the ground on her knees, pushing her face towards the dirt floor.

Wrolf, Henry, and Richard stood guard over Maria and Robin. Finishing, Maria turned and ran out towards the manor. Wrolf roared once more and followed Maria into the dark.

Robin used his all his strength to push himself off the ground and ran after her, clutching his side.

David dropped Maybelle to the floor and walked towards Richard and Henry. Aside from their torn and dirt-covered clothes, Richard and David were fine. Henry, on the other hand, had a swollen lip and cheek, blood dripped from his temple where Charles' hilt had hit him.

"Welcome to the De Noirs," David muttered in the direction Maria had left. Henry rolled his eyes and Richard elbowed David in the ribs. Together, the three made their way to Robin, knowing he would quickly need their help to get back to the castle.

"Maria stop! I didn't mean it!" Robin shouted, catching up with her.

"Then why did you say those things?" Maria cried as she turned to face him, tears streaming down her face. Her hair had come loose and what was left of her hem was torn and covered in dirt. Her hand was still stained with blood, though now it was both his and Charles.  
"You didn't even defend me!"

Robin stopped in his tracks. He didn't know what to say, _pride, cowardice…to protect you?_... He regretted his words so much, but Loveday was right, he was a danger to her. Robin, shifted his weight, holding back the words he wanted to say.

Maria shook her head and ran away with Wrolf, leaving Robin in the darkness of the woods.

* * *

Maria sat in the carriage, accompanied by Loveday, Sir Benjamin, and Ms. Heliotrope. Ms. Heliotrope was to return to the manor with Digweed, while Sir Benjamin and Loveday were to leave from London on their honeymoon.

She felt empty inside as the familiar gates of Moonacre Manor come into view.

 _Here it is,_ she thought. The morning had been too chaotic for her departure to register. But now seeing the gates, a flood of emotions overwhelmed her.

Her family was concerned and watched her attentively.

The night of the wedding, Robin and Charles had come back from the forest bleeding and hurt.  
Robin needed a few stitches to close his wound while Charles had been put to on bed rest for his broken rib. Both had refused to talk about what happened.  
Maria didn't come back at all. Loveday knew this was Charles' doing. Ms. Heliotrope, Sir Benjamin, Mr. De Noir, and Digweed left immediately to search for Maria, leaving Loveday to continue hosting the wedding. Sir Benjamin had found her crying, walking along the road back to the manor with Wrolf. He sent her home with Ms. Heliotrope and Digweed while he stayed to help Loveday with their wedding. Maria had since then refused to leave her room or talk to anyone about what happened. She even refused to step out for her birthday. As far as she knew, Robin hadn't even tried to visit.

_'..she's just an annoying little girl…'_

Those words rang in her head, causing a lump in her throat. Maria blinked her eyes and quickly turned to look out the window as she felt a tear roll down her cheek.

He didn't even say goodbye.

Digweed stopped the carriage to close the gate behind them. As the carriage began to bump along the road again Maria caught some movement among the trees.  
Maria held on to the window and stuck her head out. She saw the shadow of a person, sitting along a branch high up in the tree. The shadow was wearing a familiar bowler hat and feathered scarf. Dark eyes stared back. They were expressionless. He held a bouquet of forest flowers in his hand.

"Prideful oaf!" Maria angrily shouted out the window as tears rolled down her face.

She slumped back on her seat and used her bonnet to cover her face.

"Maria?"

"Ms. Heliotrope I'm fine!" Maria cried through her bonnet as silent sobs escaped her.


	13. A First Year, Part I and II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So like I said, this is my first ever fanfiction so here I ran into a couple of problems. First, I wanted to send Maria away to grow up, but I still wanted to continue developing and writing about their time away. SO... This resulted in a very long chapter of her years in school. I would love any comments/reviews letting me know what you think or how I can improve this :)

Part I: A Chance Encounter

A lone carriage traveled along the dirt road at night.

"I'm tired," Mathilde whined. "We've been traveling for hours! Why didn't we stop at the village?"

Her father raised his brows as he studied her. Looking to his sleeping wife, he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Ma poupée, had we stayed you would've complained. The village would have been too dirty for you."

Mathilde huffed and crossed her arms.

"I just don't understand why I must leave. The school in Paris was wonderful and all my friends were going there."

"I know _Ma fifille_. But your mother insisted."

Mathilde turned to her mother, still asleep, and stuck out her tongue.

"Now, now, is that anyway for a lady to behave?" Her father, though reprimanding her, couldn't fail to hide the twinkle of laughter in her eyes.

"No," Mathilde pouted. With a deep sigh, she reached into her bag and took out a book.

With his daughter distracted, Monsieur looked out the window into the dark. A worried frown creased his brow.

Staring into the trees his brother's words echoed in his mind, _Stay. It's too dangerous. There's something out there_.

Monsieur scanned the trees before closing the curtain. He had wanted to stay in the village, but his wife was adamant they continue forwards. They were behind schedule and she didn't like the looks of the town.

As a safety precaution, Monsieur sent a first carriage filled with their belongings ahead of them. Hoping it would deter the thieves that were plaguing the area.

"Monsieur, come quick!" The carriage man called. The carriage came to a stop and monsieur jumped out of the carriage.

He stopped dead in his tracks. In front of their carriage, blocking the road, was another carriage, thrown on its side.

"Papa what's going on?"

"Stay inside, _ma Cherie_! And don't say a word." Pulling the curtain down, he ran to his manservant who was inspecting the wreckage.

Monsieur's air escaped his chest. It was their first carriage. Their luggage laid scattered and broken around them.

The items were still inside, but the horses, they were gone. So was the driver.

"Papa…" Mathilde whimpered. She had stepped out of the carriage.

"I told you to stay inside, go now!"

Mathilde ran to the carriage but screamed out as the horses began to neigh and buck. Her mother's terrified screams were heard as the carriage began to shake and roll from side to side.

"Mathilde!" Monsieur ran to his daughter. He took her in her arms as a horse's hoof rammed into his chest, sending them both across the road.

Monsieur struggled to regain his breath. Their manservant helped them up.

"Gabriel! What's going on?" Mathilde's mother screamed. She struggled to get down the jostling carriages, and came tumbling down to them. The horses becoming wilder by the minute.

With one last cry the horses reared and took off into the forest, leaving the family alone in the rode.

"Papa, I'm scared," Mathilde began to cry. Gabriel took her and his wife into his arms. A cold chill settled in his heart.

He paled.

"Mon—monsieur!" His manservant shouted. A trembling finger was pointing to the forest.

"Shush! I see it too." Monsieur pulled his wife and child closer to his chest. His hand covered his daughter's eyes, wishing to save her from the sight before them.

A pair of glowing red eyes watched them.

* * *

Maria sat on her four poster bed. She had chosen the bed farthest from the door near the window. She hoped at night she'd be able to look up at the sky and be reminded of Moonacre.

Loveday had warned her not to pack too much, looking around the medium sized room filled with wooden furniture, she could see why.  
A four-poster bed with maroon curtains had been placed in each of the four corners. At the foot of the beds against the wall sat a large wooden wardrobe. Next to each of the bed's headboard was a desk with a lamp and small silver mirror. At the center of the room was a large round iron heater.

Maria took out her luggage and began to unpack. Even before Loveday's warning, she hadn't packed much. After all, since her father's death, she didn't have much to pack. All she brought were her dresses, some personal care items, and her Moonacre book.

One by one she hung her dresses. Maria had left Loveday's dresses at home. The dresses didn't match the current London trend and she knew they would draw too much attention. She pulled out her last dress, it was the green one Ms. Heliotrope had given her for the wedding. The hem was torn and muddy, her purse was tucked into one of the sleeves. She found the leather pouch Robin gifted her still inside of it.  
She had forgotten all about it.

Maria angrily shook her head, wanting to make her thoughts of Robin and that night disappear. There was no use crying she reminded herself. She was here now and as far as she cared, Robin was long gone. She was determined not to devote any more thoughts to him. But the more she thought of not thinking of him, the more the memories of their adventures together mixed with that night forced themselves in.

She tossed the pouch in frustration and threw herself back onto her bed. The pouch bounced off the wall and fell to the floor.

…oOo…

Maria was awoken by a soft knocking at the door. She didn't know how long she had been asleep for. She looked in the mirror and frowned at seeing dried tears on her cheeks. Wiping them away Maria called out, "come in!"

The door swung open and two girls entered carrying a small suitcase followed by a couple of manservants with their luggage.  
One of the girls was taller than Maria, and appeared to be a bit older too. She had light brown wavy hair and a milky complexion. Her younger companion had dark auburn curly hair and an olive skin tone. Both had round dark-brown eyes with long eyelashes.

The curly haired girl quickly set down her suitcase and curtsied to Maria.

"Hello, you must be our dorming companion! My name's Catalina Thomas, but you can call me Cat! This is my sister, Lisabetta Thomas." She said pointing to her sister.

"Call me Lizzy, please," Lizzy curtsied.

"Hello, my name's Maria Merryweather," Maria greeted with a curtsy of her own.

Maria watched the two sisters unpack their belongings from her bed. They had brought so many things they couldn't figure out where to store them. Maria was entertained by the sisters' bickering, arguing over whose dress was whose. Although Lizzy was the oldest, it was Cat who commanded attention and was more argumentative.

"What's this?" Asked Lizzy as she picked something up from the floor. "It's a pouch. Such beautiful pearls and feathers."

"Oh that's mine," Maria said, eyes wide.

Lizzy handed it to Maria. "Who's it from?" she asked, a teasing smile making its way to her lips.

"I bought it, why would it be from anyone?"

"Leather's common for people who work outdoors. Seeing as you don't seem to be an outdoorsman, I can only guess it was given to you by someone who is." Lizzy explained her conclusion as she paced around the small space between her's and Maria's bed.

Cat belly flopped onto Lizzy's bed. With her chin resting on her hands and a large smile, she asked, "Ooo, who is he?"

Flustered and remembering the events from two days ago, Maria could only mutter, "a birdbrain of an oaf," as she stuffed the pouch in her desk's drawer.

The girls frowned. "Not a good story then?" Asked Lizzy.

"No…"

The sisters finished unpacking just as there was a knock on the door. Cat opened it and a tall blond girl walked in.

"Good Evening girls! My name is Jane Williams. I am a third-year student and have been charged with helping and showing you girls the rules." Jane looked around the room and frowned at seeing an empty bed.  
"Mrs. Watson does not tolerate tardiness. We should head for supper, follow me."

Together the girls made their way to the dining hall, Jane leading the way as the sisters continued bickering about whose fault it was for forgetting their shared hairbrush at home.

The Porter's Finishing School for Girls was just outside the heart of London City. It was a large three-story brownstone boarding school enclosed by a black gate that went around the grounds. The teachers' rooms and classrooms were in the center building. The student dorms were on one end, while the other end of the school was composed of the ballroom and great hall. Behind, was the school's church and garden. At the center of the school was a bell tower that marked the highest structure of the school.  
The front door of the school led to the main entrance hall that was adorned with portraits of past students and headmistresses. The entrance hall joined the stairs and hallways that led to the other school buildings. In order for the students to leave their dorms, they were forced to go through the entrance hall where a school staff was always present.  
Usually a teacher, she was to make sure no girls snuck out the front door, and all those who entered were accounted for.

The great hall was composed of one table along the wall for the teachers, and two long tables for the students to sit across from the teachers' table. The tables were already filled with teachers and girls. Maria and the sisters, along with Jane were left no choice but to sit towards the front.

A lady well into her 40s walked into the room. She had an upturned nose and her eyebrows were arched and well placed above her sharp blue eyes. Her brown hair had streaks of grey and was tied neatly into a bun. Next to her was a boy Maria's age. He had short sandy brown hair, and wore a khaki school uniform coat over a white dress shirt and grey trousers. His face was round and a few freckles decorated his cheeks. He fidgeted as he looked around the room.

"Good afternoon, ladies. I am Mrs. Watson, your Headmistress." She introduced herself. She had a light French accent.

The girls all rose and curtsied to Mrs. Watson. She closely studied the girls' posture.

"Hmm, you, what is your name?" She asked Maria.

"Maria Merryweather, it's a pleasure to meet you," Maria said with another curtsy.

"Ahh yes. The orphan. Miss Merryweather, I'm not sure how long you've been in the countryside, but here in London, we curtsy with our shoulders pulled back."

Maria felt her face turn red. A few girls giggled. Lizzy and Cat were stunned and watched Maria with wide eyes. Shocked, Maria fixed her posture and curtsied once more. The boy looked from Mrs. Watson to Maria, and with a frown gave her a half-smile.

"This is my son, Sebastian. He is now attending Rutger's School for Boys down the street and has stopped by for dinner."

The girls all curtsied once more. Maria felt like she was being watched and made sure to straighten her shoulders.

"Good. Take your seats, dinner will be served shortly."

Servants brought bowls of warm beef soup and bread rolls for the girls. Although the food was not terrible, it paled in comparison with Marmaduke's cooking. Mrs. Watson paced around the girls. She spent the entirety of dinner scolding and correcting the girls on proper eating mannerisms. Sebastian sat at the foot of the table next to Cat who had turned a deep shade of pink.

They ate in silence. Even Lizzy and Cat could do no more than share a glance or small smile. Sebastian kept his eyes on his food, although occasionally he would steal a worried glance at Maria.  
Maria felt her cheeks burn throughout the dinner. Never had she been so humiliated. Jane reassured her with a whisper that Mrs. Watson was very particular about manners with everyone.

Once they were finished they were dismissed back to their rooms and told to get ready for bed. Before Jane left, she warned them not to stay up, they had an early day tomorrow.

Cat finished changing into her nightdress and jumped onto her bed. "Dinner was horrible! And Mrs. Watson, she has some nerves coming at you like that. Maria, are you really an orphan?"

At Cat's question, Lizzy smacked her head.

"Yes," Maria answered, "My father died a few months ago. My mother died when I was a child."

The sisters frowned.

"Thankfully, I haven't been lonely. I went to live in the countryside with my uncle, and I've always had my governess who has treated me as if I were her own daughter. Also, I made a few friends there. Loveday who's now my aunt, and her brother Robin…" At the mention of Robin, Maria's voice trailed off.  
Lizzy wondered if this 'Robin' was the 'birdbrain of an oaf'. The nickname would certainly suit the name.

"I miss home," Cat said.

"We'll see them in no time," Lizzy responded. She made her way over to Cat's bed and sat down next to her. "Then you'll be so tired of their nagging you'll be dying to leave again," Lizzy added, resting her head on her sister's shoulder and taking her into a tight hug.

"I miss home too," Maria said with a sigh. Through the window, she saw dark clouds that hid the moon and the stars.  
Maria's heart ached. She missed Moonacre. She missed Wrolf and Serena sitting next to her as she read in the library; she missed Ms. Heliotrope, even her scolding which was angelic compared to Mrs. Watson's; she missed her uncle and their horseback rides out through Silverydew; she missed Loveday and their after-dinner conversations; and most of all, she missed Robin. She missed his smug smile, his charcoal-lined eyes, and his pinewood smell. She felt her tears pushing through her lashes and she quickly grabbed a hold of her pillow to muffled her cries into it.  
She did not want to disturb Cat or Lizzy.

Maria was ready to scold herself again for crying over him, but then she stopped herself. What does it matter? I'm sure all little girls cry this much, Maria thought bitterly as she curled into a ball.

Suddenly Maria felt a warm hand on her shoulder. It was Lizzy and Cat. Both of their faces were streaked with tears.  
"We'll make this our home too," Lizzy said with a small smile. Cat and Lizzy sat down on either side of Maria and put their heads on her shoulders. Together, all three cried quietly into the night until they fell into restful sleep.

…oOo…

Within the first week of school, the girls were all fitted into their gowns that were to be used as their uniforms. The uniforms were a dark royal blue bustle skirt and bodice. The necks and sleeves of the bodice were adorned with white lace and the girls all wore their hair up in a bun. Modesty and humility were strictly enforced.  
Jane was always there first thing in the morning to wake the girls and help them get ready. She showed them how to tie their own corsets, how to wash their dresses, and the ways about school to get to their classrooms. Most importantly, Jane advised them all on Mrs. Watson and how to best deal with her. Jane explained that Mrs. Watson believed English schools were failing to instill worthy matter into their brains. She planned to avoid those mistakes in her school.

Their first class, French, proved to the students Mrs. Watson's determination to create the perfect lady.

"Ladies, you are here because someone in your family loves you very much. Unlike the rest of society, they see value in your upbringing. You should act as though you do too." Mrs. Watson paced the floor and stopped in front of Maria.  
"There will be no disobedience, no lollygagging, and no self-pity. Your teachers have been selected after rigorous screening and demand your utmost respect and attention. Should you fail, you will deal directly with me."  
"As you may have noticed, there is not much help here. I know you all come from well to do families, but you will look after yourselves here. You will clean the school, you will learn to sew your dresses, and you will learn to have consideration of everyone in society."

Following her own French education as well as that of Scottish schools, Mrs. Watson enforced an education compromising of the three R's (reading, writing, and arithmetic), as well as history, French, music, and art. Friday evenings and Saturday mornings were reserved for dance lessons, and Sunday mornings for Church and needlework. Sunday nights were subject to astronomy when the weather permitted. She was determined to create the most accomplished young ladies.

Days came and went faster than the Maria realized it. She hardly noticed the trees shedding their leaves, the sunlight shortening its days, or the cold draft setting in. Maria found herself incredibly busy with assignments and housework.

Although she missed home, she became very close to the two sisters and Jane. The fourth roommate never arrived.

She discovered that Lizzy was 16 and Cat was 14. Their father was an English diplomat who had fallen in love with their Spanish mother while he was working in Spain. Once they got married they moved back to England but would visit Spain during the holidays. Their parents wanted them to go to school together so they waited until Cat was old enough before sending them both off.  
Jane was the middle daughter in a family of bankers. She had four brothers and had asked to be sent to finishing school to be with girls her age and make friends. She was very friendly and Maria was sure she knew everyone in the school. She was even close to some of the teachers.

...oOo...

It was late afternoon and Maria was busy at her desk. She was responding back to Loveday's and Ms. Heliotrope's most recent letters. Their letters were the only connection Maria had to the family she missed very much. They told Maria that life in Moonacre remained as always. Although a bit more busy.  
Mr. De Noir and Harold were settling affairs and new trade routes across Europe. Robin and his friends, under Mr. Havisham's guidance, were working on establishing trade routes from Moonacre to London. Loveday now rarely saw her De Noir family but was happy to be in Ms. Heliotrope's and Sir Benjamin's company. Loveday even casually mentioned that Robin had visited London a few times, although at this Maria only rolled her eyes. She knew Loveday was trying to coax thoughts of Robin from Maria. Maria made sure to not mention him at all in any of her letters.  
Ms. Heliotrope's letters were more motherly. Scolding her to be on her best behavior or gushing about how much she missed Maria. Her complaints about the countryside no longer made it to her letters and her indigestion had very much improved. Ms. Heliotrope was also considering a trip to London to visit her old friends and hoped Maria could join her for a day or two.

"Maria," Cat called, drawing her attention from her letter. "I found a hole in the fence! Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"Outside" Cat said, eyes wide with excitement.

None of the girls had stepped outside the school grounds since their arrival. It was forbidden unless accompanied by Mrs. Watson or a teacher. The two girls waited until Lizzy finished her chores and after some convincing, they quietly made their way down to the gardens. As they were reaching the entrance hall then ran into Jane.

"Where are you girls going?" She asked, carefully studying them.

"Don't mind us! We're just going to the gardens," Cat said. Maria noticed Lizzy was turning a light shade of pink and was furiously looking off to the side.

Jane narrowed her eyes. "I will be checking your rooms at curfew," Jane warned them before heading to her room.

The girls sighed with relief and walked out to the school grounds. The walked across the gardens and stayed hidden under the foliage of the old knobby trees.  
At the far end corner of the gate, there were a few broken bars. The hole was just big enough for the girls to squeeze through.

Huddled together the girls walked through the cobbled streets. They had changed into their personal gowns afraid their school uniforms would get recognized and despite the cloudy day, they had brought their parasols to better hide themselves.

"Where are we going?" Whispered Lizzy.

"I don't know!" Replied Cat.

"Cat this was your idea, we can't just wander around!"

"I don't know London! We'll figure it out as we get there!"

The two girls stopped to argue. Lizzy blaming Cat for leading them to trouble.

"How about we go to the town square? There's a market nearby," Maria suggested. She told them about how she was raised in London before moving to Moonacre and believed she recognized the area.

Following Maria, the girls arrived to the town square busy with the bustle of the London market and shoppers. As Maria stood there, memories of walking with Ms. Heliotrope and her father through the market warmed her heart. For the first time since leaving Moonacre, she felt at home.  
Maria led the sisters to her favorite sweets shop and they bought some candies. Cat and Lizzy were amazed by the shops and little stores. Maria followed the two girls as they hopped from shop to shop, admiring the many dresses and food they saw. Their exploring led them to a park where they sat to finish their sweets.

Lizzy noticed a group of boys across from them. She gasped and frantically patted Cat on her arm.

"Cat, Maria, its Mrs. Watson's son!" She said pointing in the boys' direction.

As the two girls looked they saw Sebastian and his friends walking towards them. In a state of panic, the girls got up and ran. Maria led the way, retracing her steps back to school. The boys went down another route planning to cut them off.

As they rounded the corner the girls came face to face with Sebastian. His face was slightly thinner now, and he seemed to have grown a few inches. He stood with his arms crossed surrounded by two of his friends.

"You girls should be in school," Sebastian said.

"We have no idea what you're talking about," Cat said meeting his stance.

"Besides, that's a school uniform. I think you should be the one in school," Remarked Lizzy with her hands on her hips and staring down at them.

A dimpled smile broke across his face.

"Touche! Call me Bast," he said. "I see you girls found the hole in the fence."

"How do you know about that?"

"It's been there for a while. The boys at Rutgers made it to help the girls escape."

Maria did not want to be seen with Bast and his friends outside of the school. She looked around hoping no one had spotted them. One particular boy with wavy black hair and sharp blue eyes, watched her intently. It made Maria uneasy.  
"Boys, though it's been a pleasure, we should head back," Maria said.

"So soon? We were about to take a tour around the park. How about you girls come along?"

"It's getting late, we should really head back—"

"Alright. How about we escort you girls back. No sense in having you ladies walking outside in the dark on your own."

The girls looked to one another. Although they did not want to get in trouble, Bast was right, the sun was setting and it would quickly turn dark.

Together they walked back to the school. Bast and his friends were busy talking about their adventures and sharing their experiences. Maria stayed behind and was quietly enjoying the stroll, happy to be back in the city. She noticed the same black-haired boy occasionally looked over his shoulder, and would offer her a smile. Maria averted her eyes every time they made eye-contact. She later learned his name was William and came from a family of successful merchants.

As they passed by the trade building, Maria saw a black stallion that looked very familiar saddled across the street. Rounding the corner, Maria was surprised to see Henry, resting against the horse, eating an apple. Maria slowed her walking and, not knowing what else to do, timidly waved when Henry noticed her.

Henry stopped midway his bite and studied Maria and her companions carefully.

"Is everything alright?" Asked Sebastian. He had come back for her after he noticed she had stayed behind.

Maria saw Henry's eyes narrow in Bast's direction. He then quickly scanned over the rest of her friends who had now approached her.

"Yes—yes, sorry. We should get to school."

Maria gave Henry a smile before turning away. She failed to notice the careful gaze between Lizzy and Henry.

By the time the girls reached the school, dusk had set in and they snuck back into the school grounds. Quietly they made their way back to their rooms happy to have escaped punishment.

They entered their room and paled when they found Jane sitting on the empty bed.

"Where were you girls?" She asked them.

"We were in the gardens like we said," Cat replied.

"You girls are the first to change out of your uniforms just to stroll through the school grounds," Jane responded.

The girls paled. Jane was right, how could they have not thought of that!

"You knew" Asked Maria.

"Yup, I wanted to see how far you got before being caught. Seems as though you were pretty successful."

"Will we be punished?" Asked Lizzy.

"No, not today. But next time you sneak outside of the school grounds, you will be in trouble! Especially if you don't invite me." With that Jane left the girls in their room.

"That was so much fun! And Bast, he is so handsome," Cat said.

"I find him much too young for me," Lizzy said laughing. "Maria, who was that young man with the horse? You looked surprised to see him."

"He is a friend from back home."

"He wore an interesting leather outfit. Was he the one who gave you the pouch?"

Maria frowned, "No… it was his friend."

* * *

Robin sat in the castle's great hall eating his food when Henry came bursting through the doors. Excited he sat by Robin.

"Robin, I saw her."

Midway chewing on his drumstick he said, "Maria?"

Henry nodded.

His spark of interest died and he shrugged his shoulders staring into his plate of food.

"She looked a bit taller and thinner. And, she was with a boy."

Robin dropped his drumstick and asked, "Who?"

"Some school boy I reckon. Looked to be her age. "

Robin angrily chewed on his food.

"You should see her—"

"No! She's better off now."

"Robin—"

"And do what? Just stroll up to her school and demand to see her? After I insulted her and failed to see her off? Only an idiot would do that."  
Robin stood up and walked away, seeking shelter in the darkness and peace of his Moonacre forest.

Henry sighed in exasperation and took Robin's food, deciding it was too unfinished to be thrown away.

* * *

Part II: A Matter of Pride

Maria quickly adjusted to her new life at Porter's. She found her lessons very interesting, especially astronomy. She enjoyed studying the many stars visible from London and she planned to study Moonacre's stars with her own telescope...after she convinced her uncle to purchase her one.

Her teachers, although very rigorous and harsh, were passionate about teaching the young girls and encouraging them to understand the basic academics. And they had to be, as much of upper-class society still believed a lady's place was not in academia.

With Mrs. Watson, well despite Jane's defense for her, Maria couldn't help but feel that she was watched much more closely than the rest of the girls. No breach of etiquette, even a small unladylike sneeze, was ignored by Mrs. Watson.  
During her French lessons, Maria sat at the back of the class, adding as much distance between the headmistress and herself.  
A few girls had also tried to torment Maria. She would often hear them whisper about her, spreading rumors of how she became an orphan. Others doubted her means of affording such school. Although their comments infuriated her, she did her best to appear unaffected. After all, their comments was nothing compared to attempted kidnapping and murder by bandits. Plus having Cat jump to her defense certainly made things better.

One particular afternoon, Maria sat in the gardens reading a new book. She had received it yesterday in a package with Loveday's letter. But much to her surprise, the book was from her uncle!  
"Well if it isn't Carrot Top," Charlotte leered interrupting Maria's reading.

Maria's face fell deadpan and she looked at the girl. She was a tall girl, and a year above Maria. Maria honestly did not understand why Charlotte was determined to make her life miserable, bit she fought hard to remain in control of her emotions.  
"What do you want?"

Charlotte gasped and brought her hands to her chest, mockingly. "I'm hurt. I simply want to ask how your day is. It's not my fault your hair chose to be such a, distinct, color."

Maria pursed her lips and set her book down. "My day is going well. How about yours?"

"Its getting better every minute. I heard a new rumor today, and I wanted to pick your brain."

Maria grit her teeth and took a deep breath, preparing herself for what's to come.

"I heard that your uncle is involved with the black market. Something about needing to pay off your father's insurmountable amount of debt…"

Maria jumped to her feet. "You take that back, Charlotte!"

"And that's not all, I also heard your aunt comes from a family of pirates!"

"Charlotte, you're absolutely dreadful! Spreading such rumors like that!"

"Well, then tell me, Carrot Top, how else could your uncle afford your living and schooling?"

Before Maria could defend herself, Cat came strolling in. There was a playful smirk on her face.

"Why Charlotte, surly if your family of well-to-do clerks could afford sending your snotty self to Porter's, then you can't honestly think it would be difficult for Maria's uncle—who owns various real estate in their seaport and small town, as well as a large piece of forest—to send Maria to school?" Cat scolded Charlotte with her hands on her hips.

Behind her, Lizzy added, "Charlotte, if you need lessons in logic, I'll be happy to tutor you. Free of charge!"

Charlotte turned bright way and stomped away.

"Ugh—That Charlotte is absolutely dreadful!" Lizzy said, shaking her head.

"You would think someone who carried herself that way owned all of England," Cat added. Then she hooked one arm into Maria's and another in Lizzy.

Cat excitedly whispered, "Maria, is it true your aunt comes from a family of Pirates?—Ouch Lizzy that hurt!" Cat complained as Lizzy pinched her arm.

Maria laughed. "No, not exactly. Though their manner of dressage certainly would say otherwise."

...oOo...

During her winter holiday, Maria went back home to Moonacre Valley. Unfortunately, Moonacre was hit with a heavy snow fall and she was forced to stay indoors most of her days. She didn't mind as much though since that meant her chances of running into Robin were small. Although it seemed she wouldn't run into Robin at all.  
According to Loveday, he had been off in London throughout the winter doing business and meeting with his tutor's old clients to learn more about finance and trade. At least that's what Loveday told her. Maria was sure Robin had been avoiding her.

One winter morning, Maria took Wrolf out for a walk in the forest. She wore a long-sleeved blue gown, buttoned up to her neck. A thick, velvety, red-hooded, cloak shielded her from the morning's icy breeze. A matching red scarf and mittens kept her hands and neck warm.  
Wrolf wore a matching red cloak sized just right for a lion! Despite what Sir Benjamin said, Maria insisted a matching cloak be made for him. She didn't think it right to let the old lion, as she affectionately called him, run the risk of freezing. Wrolf didn't seem to mind either way.

She found herself walking towards the Moon Princess' dwelling and stopped in her tracks. Thinking of Robin, wasn't sure she wanted to go there just yet. Maria turned around and headed instead towards Loveday's old dwelling.  
Wrolf stayed patiently by her side.

Reaching the dwelling, Maria dusted off a snow-covered log and took a seat. Wrolf nestled alongside her and kept her legs warmed.

Maria sighed. The forest was truly mesmerizing. The snow that covered the trees and forest floor seemed to bring about a sense of innocence and pureness to the forest. And despite the quietness that had settled in with the cold weather, it was a peaceful sort of quite. One that managed to warm Maria's heart.

If she was honest with herself, Maria wished Robin was with her. He never did finish the tour of the forest. He probably never wanted to, Maria thought sadly. She didn't understand what brought on those words. As far as she knew, no one had forced him to spend his time with her. Surly, she did her best to stay out of his way. She didn't understand what she did to annoy him.

_Snap._

Maria turned. Wrolf raised his head from his paws inattention.

A scuffle behind them sounded and Maria stood. "Who goes there?" She called out.

Silence.

Wrolf stood and trotted behind the trees.

"Wrolf, wait!" Maria hitched her skirts and shuttered as the cold air wrapped around her exposed legs. She hurried after Wrolf.

She found Wrolf sitting in front of a tree. He stared intently at its thick branches up above.

"Wrolf, what is it boy?" Maria looked up. "Is there anyone up there?"

A branch to the side quiver. Maria frowned and looked at the tree. She spotted a trail of footsteps from the other side. A hawk's feather was embedded into the snow next to one of the markings.

"Robin?..." She asked out loud.  
Huffing, she crossed her arms and marched back to the manor. "Come now, Wrolf! Let's go home. I wouldn't want to be a nuisance! After all, I am still just a child. Who would want to waste their time on me?"

The next morning, after a night of fitful sleep, Maria came across a trail of footsteps that led to her tower and circled back. She glared off into the distance, wishing the perpetrator could see her disdain.

Her winter holiday lasted too short. On her return to school she brought back some of Marmaduke's cookies. She had missed them in finishing school and asked Marmaduke to bake her an extra-large batch to share with her friends, a task he was happy to take. Although he had baked about 3 dozen cookies, the girls devoured them instantly. They had never tasted anything as delicious as them. When they asked for the secret ingredient, Maria jokingly responded, "Magic!"  
The sisters had brought Maria and Jane some beautiful golden casted pendants. There were birds and leaves layered on to them creating an intricate design. The sisters had gotten one specially made with a moon cradled by a bird's wings for Maria. They knew how much Maria loved to look up at the Moon and felt it was a fitting design. Maria loved it, although she was taken aback by how similar to a robin the bird looked like. It even had a bronze chest.

...oOo...

During spring there was a school ball for the students of the London schools. But it was only for students fifteen years or older to attend. Cat and Maria begrudgingly watched Lizzy and Jane get ready.  
Jane's room, filled with three other third years getting ready, was chaotic so she asked to join Lizzy. Lizzy, of course, was relieved. She had never been apart from her sister and was happy Jane wanted to spend the evening with her.

"It's just not fair. I am much more mature than Lizzy, why can she go but not me?" Cat whined.

"Because," responded Jane, "This ball is for the young adults to mingle."

"Oh yes, we are going to be true ladies tonight," Lizzy responded jokingly. "Besides, you'll go next year Cat!"

"Not me, I won't be fifteen until the summer!" Cat said. There was a hint of desperation in her voice.

Lizzy and Jane left with the other girls to the ball. It was to be held at Princely's School for Girls, a finishing school on the other side of London. A carriage awaited them outside the gates. Maria and Lizzy were left no choice but to watch them leave from their window. Most of the teachers had gone to chaperone the dance as well.

"Cat, if you can't go next year, then I won't attend either!" Maria stated. "But until then, how about you and I go out to the city. I think Mrs. Watson will be busy in her office."

Cat's eyes brightened and the girls readied themselves. They headed straight towards the park where they hoped to find Bast and his friends. Some of them weren't fifteen yet so Maria was sure they wouldn't be at the dance.  
The two walked arm in arm searching for the boys. They finally found them playing cricket.  
They sat by a bench and watched the boys play, cheering on Bast and his team. When the game ended, the boys walked over to greet beautiful girls.

"Hello Maria and Cat! I see you're not at the ball today," Bast said.

"Not this year, we're not old enough," Cat responded with a frown.

"Well I would rather spend my day with a beautiful girl than at a ball," William said sitting next to Maria. William was fifteen, the oldest of Bast's friends. His black hair had grown and framed his face. He directed his piercing blue eyes in Maria's direction.

Maria rolled her eyes but felt a blush coming.

"Careful William, last time she saw you, Maria rolled her eyes so much I thought they would get stuck in that position!" Cat teased.

Maria nudged Cat on the ribs, careful to avoid William's smirk. Bast studied Maria, his soft eyes observing her reaction to Cat's tease.

"Just because we can't go to a ball doesn't mean we can't have any fun. We're getting something to eat before heading off to the circus. Would you ladies like to join us?" Bast wiggled his brows.

"Why such a gentleman!" Cat returned the teased. She hopped on to her toes and offered her hand to Bast.  
"That sounds absolutely divine," Cat responded in a haughty voice, doing her best to mimic the older ladies. Bast returned a deep bow and kissed Cat's knuckles, sending waves of butterflies fluttering through her stomach. He too could play the gentleman.

William laughed and shook his head. "Maria, do you want me to perform a similar charade."

Maria scoffed, "pretend all you want, you and I will still be mere children."

William feinted hurt. He grabbed his heart. "Maria, what adult has spurned you! Even at your age, the Queen of England can see you are a refined woman. Wise beyond your years!"

Maria giggled and felt a sense of pride. _At least William doesn't see me like_ child _._

"Alright then, let's go. I have nothing else to do."

"No adult activities to preoccupy your lovely mind?"

Maria was about to roll her eyes but stopped herself.  
"None whatsoever, well except…" She inched on her toes and whispered into his ears, "being a lady and sneaking back into school."

William laughed and gently nudged her shoulder. He took her hand into his arm and followed Bast and Cat.

The girls had a lot of fun that evening with the boys. They went on a carriage ride through the city and had dinner at a lovely restaurant café. Afterwards, the boys took them to see the circus. It was Maria's first time seeing such exotic animals. There were elephants, monkeys, tigers, and bears. There was also a lion, but compared to Wrolf, it was unimpressive. Maria and William were inseparable the entire evening.

…oOo…

The rest of the spring passed by uneventfully and soon Maria was back in Moonacre for her summer holiday.  
Maria walked alongside Wrolf and Periwinkle through the forest enjoying the cool summer breeze. She couldn't believe how quickly a year had gone. Perhaps Loveday was right and the next three years would soon quickly come to past.

Lost in her thoughts Maria found herself walking along a grassy hillside covered in sheep. At the top sat the Old Parson. He was reading a book underneath the shade of an old monastery doorway.

"Maria dear, come sit down." He waved her over.

Maria sat by the old man. She hadn't seen him since Loveday's wedding but she was happy to see he didn't look a day older.

"Maria how have you been? You've been at finishing school correct?"

"Yes sir. I just got home for the summer holiday."

"How wonderful! How are you enjoying your holiday?"

"It's been lonely without my friends, but I've been alright."

"Ah I see. And the young Mister Robin? How is he doing?"

Maria stiffened at his question. "I believe he's been well. Loveday told me he's off understanding business."

"There is no greater confirmation of a person's well-being, than asking them for yourself." He stated.

Maria shifted her weight. "You see we haven't quite spoken in a while… we had an argument."

"Tsk tsk, I see pride still plagues this valley," the parson said shaking his head. Maria looked down at her feet. "Maria, pride is a horrible vice, one that your family knows too well."

"I thought that was greed?"

"Yes that too. But often the two are more connected than you'd think. Avarice, greed, yes it's a dangerous thing, but one that is easy to find. Vanity, pride, on the other hand, that can easily hide. They can be masked by the pretense of feelings and sentiments, such as anger. Do not let your pride go unchecked. This valley cannot handle another curse."

Maria looked down at her feet. She wondered if the Old Parson had given Robin this same lecture. It seemed a bit unfair to her that she should be the only one receiving it when Robin's pride had also gotten to him. Why else would he be avoiding her?

"Maria did you know the world was once full of magic. But the desire for power was so great; many magical folks had to create pockets of magic in this world to protect themselves. Places like Moonacre, where magic coexists with humanity, exist all around the world."

"What did the creatures have to protect themselves from?"

"Evil monsters overcome with pride and greed. In fact, did you know the sea unicorns of Moonacre were originally land dwelling unicorns? But their blood, infused with the oldest of magic, became sought after. The unicorns were slaughtered and on the brink of extinction, when Mother Nature granted them one wish: the wish to go to the ocean where they can be safe from all creatures, humans or otherwise.  
"Maria, to be a moon princess, you must always live life without pride or greed. Forgive and forget, then those that you love will soon follow your path."

Maria nodded. She had a lot to grow. She still didn't feel ready to forgive Robin. He had lied to her. As far as she knew, he may have never been a true friend.

* * *

Robin found himself dragged to another meeting with his father. Mr. De Noir was working to establish a new route by sea directly to London. He believed it would be much more profitable to have some of his ships dock directly into London alongside his land routes.

Robin was bored out of his mind. Meetings with merchants just proved to him how greedy and scheming people could really be. But his father did have a short temper, and when Harold wasn't around to calm him, the job fell onto Robin. He was becoming pretty good at maintaining his patience in a confrontation, a trait he could've used a year ago.

Robin sighed drawing looks from the grown men.  
It was Maria's birthday today. She had just turned 15. He wondered if she was enjoying her day back home with their family. He wondered if she was upset he wasn't there. Robin scoffed and blew his hair out of his face, drawing more confused looks from the merchants, and an annoyed one from his father.

After the meeting the two De Noirs walked back to their inn. It was their last day in London and they were going to head back first thing tomorrow morning. Mr. De Noir was in a good mood, they had secured their deal and a dock for their ships. There was just one more matter of business to deal with, Robin.

"Er, Robin," Mr. De Noir said, picking his words carefully. He pursed his lips before continuing, "Erm, are you ok?" He didn't know how to express his concern for his son. Since Maria's departure, Robin had become more broody and despondent.

Robin gave his father a confused look.  
"I'm fine."

Mr. De Noir rolled his eyes and stopped himself from hitting Robin upside his head. Clearly this boy was not going to admit anything. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Loveday had warned Mr. De Noir his temper was pushing Robin away.

"That's good to hear," his father said. He didn't know what else to respond. "Well, er—before we go back to Moonacre. I feel as if I should warn you… Charles will be there."

Robin stopped, there was a flash of anger in his eyes. "Why's that idiot in Moonacre?" Robin demanded to know. The thought of Charles in Moonacre at the same time as Maria worried him.

"Robin, Charles is your cousin. And despite your name for him, he's very intelligent and strategic about negotiations. Besides, while you're gone I need someone to help take over your old errands."

"But Charles? Really? That damned fool couldn't navigate a forest if you had a trail for him to follow!"

"He won't be in the forest, he'll be supervising those going into the forest. You really think I'd want Charles out of my sight? He has a loyal group of followers. I need him close before he or my brother try something."

Robin grumbled and stormed away. He was not looking forwards to going back home.


	14. Chapter 14 - A Second Year and Fragile Reputations

Part 1: A Second Year

Maria's summer before her second year had been quite boring. As much as she hated to admit it, Maria found Moonacre lonely without Robin. Even Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope could not give Maria all the company she wanted. Maria took a few days to go through the forest under many excuses, although deep in her heart she hoped to run into Robin. She may not be ready to forgive him, but she missed him just enough to consider it. By the end of summer, Maria was looking forwards to the company of her friends. In the end, she returned to school without a word or sight of Robin.

Maria, Lizzy, and Cat were practicing piano in the music room. They had just finished their assignments and tasks for the day and were thinking of what to do.

"Maria, let's go to the city again," Cat said.

"Why?" Asked Lizzy. During last year's Spring Ball, Maria and Cat returned back to school late at night. Even though they were escorted by Bast and his friends, Lizzy and Jane were very upset. Not only was it indecent of them to be out so late, they could have been in danger as well.

"Well Christmas is coming up and I want to buy some gifts for our parents," Cat responded, carefully choosing her words.

"You sure it's not to see Sebastian?" Asked Lizzy.

Cat scoffed at the idea but could not hide the pink in her cheeks.

"Actually I need to go shopping too, besides its much more fun than staying here with nothing to do," Maria said jumping in to save Cat, although it only brought an exasperated head-shake from Lizzy.  
Unknown to Maria, her mission to destroy the curse blossomed a small adventurous spirit within. She missed the thrill of a mystery or of exploring some place new. Plus she thought it would be nice to take some gifts to her family. Their Christmas holiday was a few weeks away.

The girls went up to their room and plotted their escape. Maria and Cat were having a hard time finding a dress to wear. Since they only wore their school uniforms, which had a flexible corset for their daily activities, they failed to notice how much they had grown. Maria and Cat were now closer in height to Lizzy, and their gowns fitted too tightly across their chests.

Lizzy was struggling to tighten the corset on Cat when Jane came in. Surprised, Lizzy immediately let go of Cat's corset causing Cat to fall to the floor.

"Are you girls going to the city again?" Jane questioned.

"No we were—"

"Yes we wanted to go buy some presents for our family." Maria interrupted Cat. She had come to trust Jane and knew there was no way they could fool her.

Jane narrowed her eyes. "Wait here, don't go anywhere," she said before turning around and leaving the room.

A few minutes later Jane came back with Mrs. Watson marching behind her.

"Miss Thomas what are you doing on the floor? Stand up this instant!" Mrs. Watson scolded Cat.

"Mrs. Watson, we have a request. May we go into the city to have the girls outfitted with new corsets?" Jane asked to the surprise of all the girls.  
"As you can see, their corsets no longer fit them properly and as they are soon to leave for the holidays, it would be indecent to send them home in ill-fitting clothes."

Mrs. Watson called Cat and Maria over. She walked around them and tested out their corsets for herself.  
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Seeing as they are probably not the only girls who have outgrown their corset, and the tailor must be booked in advance, I see no choice but to have a school trip out to the city next Saturday afternoon. I will inform the teachers. Good day girls." Mrs. Watson left the room, leaving behind three stunned girls.

Jane closed the door behind Mrs. Watson and turning to the girls said, "Girls, there are always other ways to get things done." She finished with a wink.

When Saturday came around, a bustle of very proper school girls rushed towards the tailors. Seamstresses quickly outfitted them with new corsets. Even Jane's needed some readjustment. Maria and Cat also ordered themselves a couple of dresses in the latest London fashion.

Once they were finished, Mrs. Watson allowed them to spend the day in the city as long as they stayed with their older students. Jane and the girls quickly left to go do some shopping. Maria bought her uncle a new leather bound journal for his business, a pink bonnet for Loveday and a blue one for Ms. Heliotrope, and a new pair of gloves for Digweed. Walking by an armory shop, Maria had the sudden impulse to purchase a leather sheath. Something which she chastised herself after she realized only Robin would like such a gift. She tried to return it but the rude shopkeeper would not give her a refund.  
They were shopping at a shoe store where the sisters were purchasing some new boots for their mother, when through the window, Maria saw someone she wished to never see, Maybelle. She was wearing a dark burgundy hoop skirt and matching bonnet. She was walking with a couple of girls and to Maria's displeasure, heading towards the shoe store.

"Girls, I believe we should get going," Maria called out.

"What's wrong?" asked Lizzy.

"What gorgeous dress!" Cat said as the door's bell chimed and Maybelle walked in. Maybelle's eyes darted towards Maria and settled into a piercing glare.

"Merryweather!" She spat.

"Now that's not very lady like," Jane remarked.

Maybelle's eyes narrowed. "Pleasure seeing you here Maria," Maybelle mocked.

"I wish I could say the same," Maria responded with a curtsy and drawing a gasp from Cat and Lizzy. Although that was also not very ladylike, Jane mentally approved.

"From your dress I can see you went to Porter's. I heard it's a poor-woman's school where you have to work. Fitting as you'll most likely end up a spinster or governess with you being an orphan and all.  
"I on the other hand am at Princely where I will become a true gentlewoman and learn the ways to tame a certain wild bird to be mine."

Maria felt her blood boil, but she forced herself to remain calm.  
"I'll have you know Porter's makes the most accomplished lady. We are taught music, drawing, dancing, all the modern languages, understand literature and math, and most of all, we can remain pleasurable in the most un-pleasurable of circumstances. I can assure you I won't be digging my nails into any girl. " With that, Maria curtsied to an indignant-looking Maybelle and brushed past her out the door.  
She turned the corner of the building and marched straight into the nearest alley. Out of sight she let out a heavy breath and very frustrated groan. How much she hated Maybelle.

"Quite the lady," A voice called from the back of the alley.

Maria yelped as she saw Bast and his friends walk out from the shadows of the alley. He had outgrown her and his face was beginning to shape into a well-defined jawline. His sandy brown hair was parted to the side. He was becoming quite handsome. William was by his side and had outgrown them all, though he still had a boyish charm to his face.

"Hello what are you all doing here?" Maria asked surprised and embarrassed.

"Hiding from my dear Mother. I had no idea she would be in town today."

Maria laughed, she couldn't wait to see the look on Cat's. Telling them to wait there, she walked out and called over the girls. The sisters had just finished purchasing the boots and were walking out the door. Maria waved them over.

Cat blushed as her eyes fell on Bast. Lizzy and Jane could not suppress their giggle, causing Cat to burn more with embarrassment.

"Cat, Lizzy, how are you ladies today?" Bast greeted them. Maria introduced them to Jane who found it amusing that Mrs. Watson's son had a habit of skipping school too.

They were so busy catching up, they failed to notice Maybelle who had snuck into the alley behind some crates. Satisfied with what she saw, she left to rejoin her friends.

* * *

The girls were getting ready to leave for their winter holiday. Jane had finished packing early and was sitting on the empty bed watching the girls.

"Maria, that girl at the store, who was she? I think I recognized her from the ball. I've been meaning to ask you." Lizzy asked her.

Jane nodded her head in agreement, she also was curious to find out Maria's relation to the girl.

"Oh yes that dreadful girl. Maria, you stood your ground so eloquently, it was admirable," Cat said. She had never seen Maria take a stance against anyone. Not that she was passive, but when girls would comment on her orphan status, which society usually took to be poor and unwanted, she just stayed silent and ignored them. Usually Cat would be the one to get them to leave Maria alone.

Maria sighed and plopped down on her bed.

"When my father died, and I was sent to the countryside. You can imagine my governess and I were not happy. First of all, I had been left with nothing. And well in the countryside, manners and propriety are not the priority. To make matters worse, the two most powerful families of the valley were in a feud over power of the valley…" Maria began her story, tailoring it so that all mention about the moon pearls was gone. Though she did still include trapping Robin, it was her proudest moment.  
She spun a tail that working with Robin, they were able to unite Loveday and her Uncle, finally connecting the two families. Maybelle, she told them, was Robin's cousin and part of a family who still hated the Merryweathers. They saw their peace as a form of weakness. Maria even took out her book to show them the fairytale that was inspired by her family's feuds. At least that's what she called it, a simple fairytale that didn't happen. She didn't want them to think she had lost her mind.

The girls listened attentively.  
"Maria, is Robin the one who gave you the pouch?" Lizzy asked her.

Maria pursed her lips.  
"Yes," She finally responded. "It was a birthday gift from him."

"What happened?" Jane asked.

Cat was enchanted by the book and looked through its pages, admiring the artwork.

"The night of wedding, there was a fight between Robin and Maybelle's brother," Maria answered. "Some things were said. Sometimes I wonder, if Robin had been playing me a fool while I was believing he was my friend. It was a bloody fight—"

"How funny, this girl looks just like you Maria!" Cat interrupted Maria to the frustration of Lizzy and Jane. She was pointing to a page in the book.

Confused Maria peered over Cat's shoulder and was surprised to see an illustration of herself staring back. It was the night the curse was broken and she was smiling, standing in the amphitheater surrounded by her family. Maria had never seen that page. In fact, this was the first time she had open the book since the curse had been broken. It looked as if it was a new addition to the story.

She took the book from Cat and scanned through the pages. Her arrival to Moonacre. Serena's rescue. Robin's entrapment. Jumping off the cliff. All of it. It was all there.

"Yes, that is weird." Thinking quickly, she said, "well the story was written by a family member, I'm sure he based the characters off of my ancestors. I have been told I resemble them."  
Maria quickly packed her book with her belongings under the skeptical eyes of Jane and Lizzy.

"Oh I wish I could go with you!" Cat said as she twirled around in the room. "Moonacre sounds so beautiful!"

"You should all come and visit. Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope would love to finally meet you all and I'm sure my uncle wouldn't mind."

"We'll ask them this holiday." Lizzy said.

"I will take you up on that offer. I take any opportunity to get away from a household of boys," Jane said.

"Jane I'm sure it's not that bad," Maria said.

Jane scoffed.  
"Maria, on my arrival, I'm under a thousand investigations. Who are my friends, am I being courted by anyone, what do I do for fun?  
"Sometimes my brothers love to test my strength and hold me in headlocks or lock me outside the house so that I am forced to remove my skirt and bodice in order to climb through the windows in my petticoats. Being a lady is difficult at home and embarrassing. It does not do well with potential suitors." Jane responded as she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulders.

Jane was such a delicate-looking beauty it was hard for any of the girls to imagine her doing any of those boyish activities.

"I wish I could go to Spain with you all," Maria commented.

"Oh yes, 4 days of sea travel, so pleasurable," Cat said rolling her eyes.

"That doesn't stop you from admiring the sailors," Lizzy said elbowing Cat.

"Then you girls will have to deal with my company too. I've always wanted to meet a sailor," Jane said laughing.

Before Maria even knew it, she was back in her carriage making her way to Moonacre. The day's journey wore on. Without the companion of anyone, she spent her time re-reading the same book and doing French needlepoint. She couldn't wait to get home. Porter's library wasn't well stocked with any books interesting enough for leisurely reading. Mrs. Watson ensured only books suitable for ladies were available.

Maria wondered if she would run into Robin. The forest was lonely without any of the De Noir ruffians strolling through it. Immediately she scolded herself for thinking of him.

She arrived to the manor as dusk was setting in. From outside the manor, hidden in a tree, a shadow watched the carriage closely.

He recognized the Merryweather carriage and Digweed sitting atop of it.  
 _She's back._  
He wished he could see her, but they hadn't spoken in so long he was sure she'd want nothing to do with him. As he watched her carriage continue towards the manor Robin hopped down his tree and made his way home where he was needed.

Maria was welcomed by her family. Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope were the first to greet her with hugs and sweet words. Maria had a difficult time prying herself from Mrs. Heliotrope's embrace. Sir Benjamin casually remarked it was good to have her back.

As they ate, Maria told them all about school, her friends, and the many courses she had to learn. Ms. Heliotrope was distraught to discover Maria had gone so long without being outfitted for a new corset.

After dinner, Maria went up to her room. She sighed with content at seeing her little room still exactly as she had left it. She was unpacking when she heard a knock at her door.  
Maria opened it to let in Loveday.

"Maria, it's so good to have you back. You wouldn't believe how lonely Ms. Heliotrope and I have been," Loveday said.

Maria smiled and told her she's missed home too. She told her about how boring finishing school can be. And how in the city, the trees all look dead. She missed the Moonacre forest, she couldn't wait to explore it before the snow set in.

"Loveday, is Robin in Moonacre this winter?" Maria tried to coolly ask her question.

Loveday shook her head sadly. "He went on his first voyage outside the country. Robin and his friends are accompanying Harold to France and Spain. Maria, what happened the night of the wedding?" Loveday asked.

Maria frowned and shook her head.

"Robin won't tell me either, he's been different since then."

"I don't want to talk about it." Maria stated flatly.

Loveday frowned and kissed her forehead.  
"Good night Maria, You can always tell me anything," she said closing the door behind her and leaving Maria in her room.

That night Maria had a restless dream. She kept dreaming of falling into the ocean and being swept away by the ocean's currents. The white horses did not appeared to help her.

Maria was awakened by a small knock on her door.  
"Maria can I have a word?" Asked Ms. Heliotrope through the door.

Ms. Heliotrope entered her room and began to nervously pace in circles. Maria had to gently take Ms. Heliotrope by the hand and sit her down. Her pacing was beginning to make Maria dizzy.

"Ms. Heliotrope what's wrong?"

"I uh—I have decided to—I've decided to marry Digweed!" She finally stated with a small burp at the end. "Since you've left I have been very lonely. And—and my entire life I've only lived by society's rules. And well, well I'm tired of it! For once I want to do something that makes me happy, and Digweed has made me very happy."

"Ms. Heliotrope that is a great idea!" Maria said embracing her beloved tutor.

"Really Maria? You're not upset?"

"Of course not Ms. Heliotrope. I only want you to be happy!"

Ms. Heliotrope took Maria into her arms and cried from happiness.

After lunch Maria asked Loveday to accompany her on a stroll through the forest. The ladies wore long red velvet cloaks Sir Benjamin had gifted them to protect themselves from the cold frosty wind.

"Loveday, the day of you wedding there was a fight," Maria began her story her story after a long pause. She finally decided to come clean.

Loveday had figured as much. She knew how rowdy the De Noirs could be, and she was certain words didn't cut Robin's wounds.

"Oh Maria surly you know he didn't mean those words?" Loveday said after Maria finished her story.

"He shouted them for the whole world to hear Loveday! How can he not mean them?"

"Well of course he would. He did it to protect you. He did it after Charles had threatened your life. I wouldn't expect no less."

"Loveday there were many other things that could have been said and done. If he didn't mean it, why did he say it?"

"Now Maria, I'm not saying that what he did was correct. It was tactless and incredibly thoughtless. And he avoiding you this whole time is definitely foolish and prideful. But at that second, he probably wanted Charles to believe he didn't care for you to get you out of his sight."

Maria was quiet. She had never thought of it that way.

* * *

"You boys should consider changing clothes, we're about to dock," Harold warned the boys.

They were on their first trip overseas. Mr. De Noir felt they were ready to take part in their first excursion. Their trip would take them to the border between France and Spain where they were to pick up some newly imported Arabian tapestries.

The boys had been excited, but after their first day abroad the ship, quickly grew tired of the sea. David had spent the majority of the trip sick up on deck where he could quickly reach the edge of the ship. The other three adjusted well, but got bored quickly after sailing. For a band of ruffians used to the scenery of forests, the vast open ocean was unnatural.

Robin looked at his friends and they all shook their head. They were comfortable in their leathers and didn't want to change. Plus, Robin knew from experience leather would not protect them from danger, especially a lethal creature.  
After the wedding Luke had told them about his encounter. Robin, having seen sea unicorns and Maria's black lion believed Luke, but the other boys had a hard time believing his story.

"Great we'll be finding all the attention we need," Luke remarked rolling his eyes. Henry elbowed Luke in the ribs. Luke failed to hide a grimace as he rubbed his side. It had taken him long to recover, and after all this time, the wound was still sensitive.

Robin and his friends were happy to finally be on land. They quickly rushed to the nearest tavern where they could fill their stomachs. The nobles and gentle people of the French seaport stared in indignant disbelief at the young group of ruffians who had dared stepped on their land.  
Entering the tavern a pretty girl welcomed them and for the first time, Robin was glad his father had forced him to learn the language.

Robin quickly ordered for his friends and David found a table near the back. He and Henry didn't like the looks they had received and wanted to stay hidden.

Harold had given the boys the day off to rest before embarking on their caravan to the border. After eating the boys took their day off to explore the city. However, soon the curious stares they were receiving began to annoy them.  
In Moonacre, their leathers helped them hide in the shadows of the forest. But in the city, their black leathers stuck out like a sore thumb. Even Richard was beginning to feel irritated. His normal roguish look which threw crowds of girls, seemed to repel the beautiful girls of France.

They were walking through the streets filled with merchants when Robin came across an antique looking bookstore. He decided to go in and take shelter from the stares. The smell of old books was strong and an elderly gentleman was busy binding a book.  
"Boujour Monsieur!" He greeted Robin.

Robin looked around the store filled with all sorts of books. There were books in many languages. Some he couldn't even recognize. He wondered what books Maria would like to read and quickly shook the thought out of his head.  
His eyes lingered to a couple of books by the window. They were old and their covers were adorned with various illustrations of girls. One had a girl next to a horse, another had a girl wearing a crown and holding a dagger. As he was looking through the book, he watched. Across the street from the window, an old hooded woman stared at him. Something about the way she looked at him made chills crawl down his spine.

"Oy Robin there you are!" Called David through the window.

"We've been looking all over for you," Henry said sticking his head into the shop. "We found a shop with all sorts of knives and weapons from different countries. Let's go!"

Robin said good bye to the bookkeeper and followed his friends. From the corner of his eye he saw a figure trailing behind them. It was the old woman. Robin picked up his pace hoping to get away.

The armory shop smelled of leather, burnt metal, and firewood. There were all sorts of weapons along the walls. Robin was attracted to a curved knife he had never seen before. It had a black round hilt adorned with brass and craved patterns. At the base of the hilt was an eight-sided star that almost resembled a compass rose. The shopkeeper told Robin it was a knife that had traveled far, all the way from Nepal. The boys all bought a knife using their advance commission. They figured they were better off with a second knife once they were on the road.

Walking back to the ship, Robin felt his red feathered scarfed pulled from his neck. The old lady quickly scurried away with it down the alley. Robin ran after her and cut her off.

"Give that back," He demanded placing his hand on his new knife.

"Wouldn't do that if I was you," she responded with a thick French accent. "Else your hand will 'ave fallen before you've gone as far as to unsheathe that thing."

"What do you want? You've been following me."

The old lady pulled down her hood and marched straight up to him. Her hair was white and in a lose bun. Grey eyes pierced into his soul. Robin tried to step back but she grabbed him by the shoulders. She was much stronger than she appeared.

"You know the princess, don't you," she whispered.

"Wh—what? What do you mean?"

"Don't play me a fool boy!" She bopped him upside the head almost knocking his bowler hat off. "The Moon Princess! You know her?"

"How do you know of her?" Robin questioned her.

"We all know of her!"

"We?"

"Us magical folk! We all know of the Moon Princess!" The old lady shook her head in disbelief. She was surprised that such a dolt would be tasked with the Moon Princess' protection.  
"She was supposed to break the curse by uniting the two families, not jumping to her death! Her fall broke more than the Moon's curse! Many a creature have been released. You must take care of her."

"She's alright. She's off in school."

"You let her out your sight?" The old lady cried in exasperation. "There is a threat arriving by sea but do not be blinded by the real danger of human greed!"

"What do you mean?"

"She's in danger. You must keep her safe. If more know of the Moon Princess, they will desire the moon pearls." The old lady grabbed his face and brought it closer to hers. "Power, boy, power! It's what it's all about. You should know that more than anyone."

Robin pulled away and began to walk away from the alley.

"Much easier to see red in a sea of brown and blue," she said tossing his feathered scarf to him.

Robin hurried and caught up to his friends. He was shaken up and quickly wanted to get back to the inn. There he was sure he would go unnoticed.

It was early morning and the sunrise was beginning to break through the morning mist. Harold and Luke were outside readying the caravans. One by one, the boys staggered out the door shivering and groggy. They were unused to the breeze that seeped through their fabric trousers. Only their leather jackets and bowler hats remained in place. Robin's red scarf was stuffed into his sack.

Luke nudge at Harold and pointed to the boys, "looks as if they've changed their minds."

Harold chuckled and called them over to prepare them.

* * *

Part 2: Fragile Reputations

Mari returned back to London a week before the spring session began. Ms. Heliotrope wanted to visit her old friends and had asked Maria to accompany her.

Two of Ms. Heliotrope's friends were governesses and the other two had gotten married and started their own families. During one visit Maria had received permission to go to the cemetery to visit her parent's graves.

As she was placing down her flowers she looked to the gazebo. Just a little less than 2 years ago she was being watched by Robin.

She giggled,  _the poor bird boy could not capture a tiny 13 year old girl._

"Maria what are you doing here?" Bast asked. He wore a brown cap over his sandy brown hair. His eyes twinkled in the sunlight.

"Visiting my parents, you?"

"Visiting my grandparents. They raised me, my mother was busy being a headmistress and my father was off in foreign affairs. They passed away last year."

"I'm sorry."

"Can you go for a walk with me?" Bast asked.

Maria took his arm into hers and they walked away together. She was happy to have some company. Normally Ms. Heliotrope would come with her but Maria didn't want to take her away from her friends.

He smelled of parchment and freshly laundered canvas. It was pleasant. Together they walked to a grave marked with the surname  _DuBosque_ , it was his grandparent's grave and he laid down a bouquet of roses.

They sat on a bench and watched passersby's go about their business.

"Maria, what will you do once you finish school?" Bast asked her.

Maria was surprised by the question.  
"I think I will go back to Moonacre. I've missed home."

"But it's the countryside, does it have much to offer?"

"Well, my family's there. Everyone I love—"

"Everyone?" Bast questioned her. Maria felt like she was interrogated.

"Yes everyone. There's no one here for me. In Moonacre there's my uncle, Loveday, Ms. Heliotrope, my pets, and—and Ro…Yes everyone." Maria stated brushing away the name she was about to mention. She was so confused with her thoughts she failed to see the crestfallen look on Bast's face.

That spring Maria received some fantastic news from Moonacre. Loveday was pregnant, and Ms. Heliotrope's wedding had been set for next summer. Loveday believed the baby would be due in the fall, and told Maria her uncle was incredibly excited.  
Ms. Heliotrope told Maria she had chosen next summer to give Digweed time to finish constructing their home. As a bachelor, Digweed lived in an adjoining room at the end of the manor, something which Ms. Heliotrope refused to do. It was an exciting time, and Maria was looking forwards to going home. Although this would have to wait. Since it was Jane's last year, the girls had all decided to go with the sisters' to Spain and spend part of the summer holiday with them.  
Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope insisted in their letters that Maria should continue with her plans. They would be patiently waiting for her return.

Maria also received a strange packet through the mail. It was a book. She had never heard about this book before and was very excited to read it.  
She was reading it by the gardens when a girl Maria's year passed by. Her name was Charlotte and she was one of the few who liked to taunt Maria about her orphan status. She was a mean girl who used any opportunity to belittle other girls.

"Hello Maria, what book are you reading?"

"Good Afternoon, Charlotte. I have no idea I just received it in the mail. It's called  _La Princesse Printanière_."

"Sounds boring, just your type I see. Well good day!"

Maria shook her head. She went back to her book and discovered it was an old fairytale about a Princess locked in a tower who escaped to run away with an ambassador. She had never heard of such as story and was fascinated by it when suddenly a hand snatched the book away from her. Maria was furious and jumped up ready to take it back. Instead she came face-to-face with Mrs. Watson.

"Young lady, what nonsense are you reading?" Mrs. Watson looked through the book.

To Maria's fury, Charlotte stood behind watching them. A crowd of nosy girls started to form.

"It's a book."

"Of course, I know it's a book! Where did you get such a thing? This tale is rubbish and improper! It will only fill your brain with nonsense! I am taking it away!" Mrs. Watson began to march off with the book.

"Charlotte you witch!" Maria shouted.

_SMACK._  Mrs. Watson cold hand struck across Maria's cheek.

"Maria, there will be no such language in this school! You should be thanking Charlotte for saving your reputation! God knows your orphan status will make it difficult for you to find a husband as it is, much worse if word goes around you read such nonsense!"

Maria felt tears in her eyes and ran to her room. She cried in the arms of Lizzy and Cat who both agreed Mrs. Watson's behavior had been cruel and unnecessary. Jane promised she would talk to the 4th year in charge of Charlotte.

After the incident, Maria avoided Mrs. Watson more than ever and set out to prove her wrong. She would never again be humiliated by Mrs. Watson.

As April came to an end, word about Porter's hosting the annual Spring Ball spread. The Spring Ball was meant to introduce the various schools' students to one another. The girls were all excited and made sure to be on their best behavior, any rule-breaking would rescind their opportunity to attend. Cat was especially careful. As the youngest in the group, she wouldn't be fifteen until after the ball and was therefore not technically allowed to attend. Lizzy and Jane however were working to get her permission.

The morning of the ball, the girls awoke in a frenzy. They all took turns helping one another dress and get ready. Cat had been allowed to go on the condition that should she misbehave, she would be banned from attending any other school balls in the future.  
Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope had sent Maria a brand new dress. It was a pink ballgown with short sleeves and sweetheart neckline. Cat wore a burgundy off-the-shoulder dress with black lace and Lizzy wore a purple dress with long puffy sleeves and a bateau neckline. Jane's dress was a blue ballgown with a scooped neckline and mid-length puffy sleeves.

It was a grand ball and the girls danced the night away. Maria was also relieved she hadn't seen Maybelle all night. Maria danced most with William, a few with Bast, and some with other boys. Cat and Bast also danced together most of the night. Lizzy and Jane had run into a few boys they danced with last year and spent the night with them. As the evening wore on, Maria and William went out to the garden to have a break from all the dancing.

…oOo…

"Robin, where you going? Dinner's about to be served!"

"I'm not hungry, I'll catch up to you all later!"

Robin tossed his bowler hat back onto his head and adjusted his feather scarf along his neck. It was a chilly evening with only the full moon to light his path.

He followed the address he copied off of one of Loveday's letters. He almost got caught writing it down but he managed to sneak it away. He knew that had Loveday seen what he was doing, he would've never heard the end of it.

He rounded the corner and saw his destination. It was an impressive building. A large amount of carriages were stationed near the entrance and there seemed to be a lot of commotion coming from inside. Well-dressed people adorned the gardens chatting the night away. Robin could also hear the feint sound of an orchestra playing a waltz. As a carriage drove by, Robin hid in the shadows. He did not want to be seen.  
Robin wanted a closer look and snuck to the back following a black gate. As he neared the gardens a movement caught his eyes,  _Is that her?_

"Maria, I'm curious. Where is the hole you and the girls use to sneak out from?" William asked her breaking their silence. She had been thinking of Moonacre and how much brighter the stars were there.

"I'll show you, follow me," Maria set off in the direction of the hole, going into the darkness of the garden and its trees. As she neared the hole, William's footsteps silenced behind her.

"William? William where are you?" She called out. Maria stayed still, hoping to catch a sound, any sound that could tell her of William's location. She inched forwards, stepping silently. Maria thought she heard a feint rustling. She tensed.

"Boo!" William yelled jumping out ahead of her.

Maria cried out and was about to fall when William grabbed her by her hand and brought her close to him.

"Oh, you oaf! Don't do that!" Maria cried smacking his chest and trying to pull away.

"Maria don't," he whispered, putting his finger to his lips and darting his eyes around the garden.  
"If you pull away another beast might catch you," William said laughing. He leaned against a tree pulling Maria closer to him.

"I'm sure I'd be better off with any other beast than you," Maria said rolling her eyes. It was cold out though, and she did find him pretty warm.

Robin felt his blood boil inside of him. He clenched his teeth. This was not how he expected to see Maria.

"Maria, those words hurt more than any blade ever can," William responded dramatically.

Robin snarled and put his hand on his hilt,  _oh I'll show you how much a blade can hurt_. He was sure this city boy had never even been in a fight!

"But I know what can heal me," William continued, looking into her eyes.

Maria felt a blush creep on her cheeks. She tried to ignore his statement, not wanting to egg him on.

"A kiss," he said, "A kiss from a fair maiden on this beautiful moonlit night."

Robin felt sick. He was ready to pound him.

Maria's eyes widened and she tried to pull away.  _A kiss? Oh no. No, no, nooo,_  she thought, she was not ready for a kiss, especially from William.

William placed his hand under her chin and brought her face closer to his. Maria began to panic. She felt her blood rush to her face. Yes he was handsome. And charming. And everything a young man ought to be. But, she did not want to kiss him.

Robin was not about to stand by as another kissed his princess. Robin took a step towards the hole when Maria managed to slip from William's grasp.

_Snap!_ Maria heard a twig break behind her.

_Shit._ Robin saw her pull away before he could stop himself. They turned towards him and he quietly sunk down to the ground.

Maria searched through the darkness, "Who's out there? Show yourself!" She demanded. She sincerely hoped it wasn't another student who had seen her. After her incident with the book she knew she could not handle another scandal. She was already doing more than enough to avoid Mrs. Watson.  
Maria took a step closer when she saw the shadow of a figure dart from behind the gate and out into the street. Maria quickly ducked underneath the hole and chased after it, but when she reached the street, the figure had vanished.

William chuckled and followed her through the gate. He figured all girls were nervous with their first kiss.

"Come now Maria, I'm sure it was just a bird. Let's head back to the dance before we get into trouble," William said as he offered her his arm.

Maria frowned, she still felt nervous and did not believe a bird would be out this late at night. Besides, the snap had been much too loud, it had to have been a human foot. She may not be a good tracker, but she knew that much.

Arm in arm, William led Maria back into the school. Before they entered, he planted a soft kiss on Maria's cheek. She forced a smile and quickly walked in, not wanting to spend any more time alone with him. An angry Robin glowered from the roof of the building next door.

* * *

The girls were packing their belongings and getting ready to leave to Spain for the summer holiday. Although they were excited, they were sad this would be their last time in school with Jane.

As they were finishing their packing, Jane rushed into their room with a small oil lantern.

"Girls, follow me," she said before quickly rushing out the door.

"Jane where are we going?" Maria asked.

"Shhh, keep your voices down," Jane responded.

The girls were confused. It was a bright Sunday afternoon, there was no reason to sneak around or need a lantern.

Jane led them to the end of the hall where the stairs were. However, instead of going down the stairs, she raised her fingers to her lips and pulled down a lamp from the wall. There was a groaning sound and a small slot on the wall across the stairs appeared. Maria was stunned. It was a hidden passage way. Jane ushered them in and quickly followed as the slot closed behind them.

Jane's lantern showed a continuation of the stairs leading upwards. Maria was so confused, this entire time she was sure their dorms were on the last floor. The stairs turned a corner into a small hallway, which they just managed to squeeze through with their hooped skirts. The hallway led to a room filled with a variety of items. There were stuffed toys, unopened packages, books, and old furniture among many things.

"Jane, where are we?"

"This is the room for confiscated items! It leads to the bell tower. We are in the very center of the school." Jane said. "I tried my best to convince Mrs. Watson to give you back your book Maria. But she insisted she was only saving you from a ruined reputation. So as my last day here, I have decided to make use of my connections and help you get it back."

"What happened to finding others ways?" Cat asked, teasing her.

"Well, when there is no cooperation from the other party, I guess sneaking around can be excused," Jane admitted with a laugh.

Maria hugged Jane and the search began. The girls all worked together to rummage through the items. Well at least most of the girls helped. Cat had come across an old set of letters she was busy reading. Occasionally a gasp would escape her and she would inform the girls of whatever scandal was mentioned. One in particular, written in French, involved the plans of a 3rd year girl wanting to run away with the chef's son.  
"Look girls! This ones signed with a drawing of flower inside a tree. At least I believe it's a flower, it has many petals."

Their search was in vain. They did not come across the book.

Suddenly Cat cried out, "Oh is this it? It was underneath the letters!" Sure enough, to Maria's relief, it was the very same book.

Back in their rooms, Maria stored her book deep beneath her luggage where it could not be found. She finished her letter to Ms. Heliotrope and Loveday just in time as their carriage arrived to take them to the seaport where they were to meet Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and head off to Spain.

* * *

Robin sat on the bed. His father had anticipated a long stay and had rented a room for them to stay in. He wished he could've continued the journey with his friends, but his father insisted he was needed in the city.

"Boy, go out and do something," Mr. De Noir came into the room and was frustrated to find his son still in the same position he had left him that morning.

"And do what?"

"I don't know, do whatever damn thing you do for fun. Chase after girls or something. We have another meeting early tomorrow morning. I don't want you cooped up in here until then."

Robin rolled his eyes and changed into his leather outfit. At least now back in London, he could wear his leathers and scarf again.

Robin did not have a destination in mind and let his legs do the walking. He soon regretted this though when he ended right in front of Maria's school. Unlike a few weeks ago, the school was now empty. At least with no one around, he could finally give a good pounding to that boy if he found him.

Robin was walking towards the school when he heard a lady with a French accent calling out.

"Young man the school is not in session and there is nothing of value here, don't you think of robbing it!"

"I'm visiting London on a business trip. I have—had a friend who goes here," Robin said stepping back and holding his hands out in front of him, demonstrating he was harmless.

Mrs. Watson did not trust this ruffian looking boy. Her carriage had once been robbed by a group dressed in a similar fashion.

"Mother calm down I'm sure he means no harm." A sandy haired boy came out from the gardens. Mrs. Watson directed one last piercing glare at Robin and went back into her school.

"My name's Bast! I go to school down the street but my mother's the headmistress here. What school do you go to?"

"The names Robin. Just here on business." Robin turned to leave when Bast called him back.

"Hang on, which friend of yours comes here?"

"You wouldn't know her, she just finished her second year."

"Fancy her much?"

His question was so unexpected Robin stammered to answer. "I—I don't know. I do know she hates my guts though."

Bast blew a breath of air, "that's rough."

"It was my fault, I was a coward."

"Don't look like much of a coward," Bast said laughing. He had heard from his friend of a group of young men all in leather who had started up new trade routes and bringing in competition. He believed this was one of them. They still had a few strong routes in France too, despite the rumors of monsters haunting the roads.  
"Why don't you talk to her?" Bast continued.

"I don't think she'd want to listen."

"Make her."

Robin's thought of the day Maria caught him in a trap and he laughed. His friends still reminded him of it. He wondered what Maria would do if he were to trap her as she did and make her promise to listen.  
 _It would never happen, she's too smart,_  he thought.

"What about you, I doubt you come here just for your mother. Have a girl you fancy here too?"

Bast thought of it for a while. "There's a girl. But I can tell her heart belongs to another."

"That's tough"

Bast shrugged his shoulders, "It's alright, she has a friend that's quite beautiful too. Her personality can be a lot to handle though."

 


	15. A Third Year and Prideful Discussion

Part 1: A Summer of Reunions and Introductions

The carriage filled with four young ladies stopped at the Port of London.

"Lisabetta, Catalina!" a high-pitched voice called through the crowd. A thin woman with auburn curly hair, olive complexion, and a narrow face rushed towards them. She was followed by a towering and plump man. His brown handlebar mustache was the only color on his face.

Lizzy and Cat ran to their mother and embraced her in a tight hug. She planted kisses on their cheeks and spoke to them in Spanish, telling them how much she's missed them. Both Lizzy and Cat shared their mother's dark brown eyes but only Lizzy shared her facial structure and small smile. They then hugged their father, bringing a large smile to his face, a smile much like Cat's. Mrs. Thomas thanked Maria and Jane for joining them, it was the first time either girl had heard a Spanish accent.

Mr. Thomas took them to eat at a café before their ship was to disembark. Throughout lunch, Mrs. Thomas was very doting over her daughters, much to Cat's annoyance. She also asked the girls questions, wanting to get to know them better. Maria and Jane found Mrs. Thomas to be very kind and attentive. Mr. Thomas spent the majority of the conversation studying the girls. He was focused, listening to them and occasionally would add in a comment or conclusion.

"This voyage is going to be very exciting," Mr. Thomas said as he led the group towards the ship.

"What makes this voyage different from any other?" Asked Lizzy.

"A few days ago on arriving to London, we came across merchants heading in our direction. I obtained a much better deal for our voyage, and a few days with businessmen will offer plenty of economic opportunity."

On arriving to the docks, Maria froze in place. The ship Mr. Thomas headed to proudly waved black-red flags with a black lion emblem. It was an emblem Maria had not seen in two years.

Jane wrapped her arm around Maria's and pulled her towards the ship, "Maria, what's the matter?"

"Jane, those are Robin's ships," Maria whispered. She felt her heart thumping in her chest.

"I'm sure he's missed you too," Jane said. Maria felt her blood rush to her face and a small smile forced itself onto the corner of her lips. Maria felt like a fool. Jane giggled and nudged her forwards.

Together they followed the Thomas family up the gangway. Up on deck the ship swayed with the ocean. Jane shrieked as she felt the ship roll under her. Neither had been on a ship before, they grabbed onto each other in a fit of laughter to steady themselves.

"You two will get used to it in no time!" Cat said. She came skipping towards them followed by Lizzy.

Their parents were talking to the ship's Captain and another man, it was Henry's father.

Harold spotted Maria and smiled. "Miss Merryweather, welcome aboard! Didn't know you'd be joining us," he greeted her.

"Are you two acquainted with one another?" Asked Mr. Thomas.

"Yes, he's a family friend." Maria responded.

"Very well, very well, this will most certainly be an interesting voyage."

The girls sat on a couple of crates facing the ships bow. The sea's breeze lifted their bonnets, forcing the girls to cover their heads with their hands. Lizzy and Cat were glad for more company, hoping their four days at sea would quickly pass by. Maria and Jane could not wait to discover what adventure was in store for them. Although the nervousness of being on a De Noir ship had sent Maria's heart in a flurry.

From the corner of her eyes, black bowler hats came aboard the ship. All color drained from her face. Maria stood and tugged her bonnet, bringing it further down her face. Her eyes searched the ship, looking for a place to hide. She moved to take cover below deck when a warm hand squeezed Maria's. Jane gave her a reassuring smile.

The hat wearers came into view and stopped at the sight of the girls.

"Maria, which one is he?" Jane whispered.

"He's not here," Maria's voice cracked as her heart came to a crashing stop. She felt a lump in her throat.  
 _Just a second ago I wanted to hide from him, and now—now I feel like crying! For goodness sake Maria get a hold of yourself!_  She chastised herself.

"Maria?" David asked. He was the first to notice her and hardly recognized her. She was taller now and her hair was pulled up into her bonnet. Her face was thinner, making her eyes appear larger. Her body, though slim, was beginning to curve around her hips and chest. She almost looked fairy-like.

Richard elbowed David in the ribs, "that's not how you greet ladies!"

Henry walked towards Maria. He had outgrown them all, his chin-length black hair no longer hid his face but was instead parted to the sides revealing his crystal-blue eyes. When he reached her, Henry offered her his hand. Maria passed it and embraced him in a hug.

"It's our lucky day boys. Maria has graced us with her presence and brought with her some beautiful ladies." Richard flashed his signature smile, his roguish blue eyes falling on Jane. Jane scoffed at his words, as if that was the first time she's heard that.

Richard and David followed Henry. They were both matched in height, though Richard walked with his head held high making him look taller.

Maria hugged them both. David tensed as Maria wrapped her arms around him much to her amusement.

"It's been too long," Maria said.

"I'm surprised you even recognize us," Henry said.

Mari laughed. "With those leathers and hats, you're hard to miss."

"Yeah we've noticed..." David said rolling his eyes.

Maria introduced her friends to the gang. Henry and Lizzy remained uncharacteristically distant though. They stood towards the back, carefully studying one another. Lizzy was trying to make out an opinion over these young men, especially Henry. His straight face and deep-set eyes made him difficult to read.

"Ship's set to sail, Cap'n!" A sailor up on the mast called down. The captain shouted orders and the ship was released from the dock and the anchor was pulled up. The sails caught wind and the ship lunged forwards, almost toppling the girls. The girls laughed as they clung to one another. Richard rushed to help Jane but she scowled and brushed him away. David held on to the ship's side, dreading the rolling waves of the open sea.

That night Maria was the only one awake in her cabin. She was sharing a bed with Jane, while Lizzy and Cat shared the other one. Maria heard the door creak open. A twitching black tail, swaying side to side, stopped at the foot of her bed. She sat up and found the yellowest eyes she had ever seen. The black cat blended with the darkness. It sat watching her.

"It's not polite to stare you know," Maria whispered to the cat. As if understanding her, it looked down then at the door.  
"What do you want?" Maria asked.

The cat stretched and made its way to the door. Before going out, it turned back to Maria. Maria slipped on her frock coat as she quietly stepped outside to follow it. The cat was now at the top of the stairs heading up on deck. She steadied herself against the rocking ship and made her way up.

It was quite, only a few sailors were keeping watch. Her bare feet padded against the cold wooden floor. She found the cat sitting next to a dark figure wearing a bowler hat with curly hair. For a brief moment, Maria thought it was Robin.

"David?"

"You've met Zachariah," he said. David removed his bowler hat and sat down on a crate. His curly hair flapped with the wind. His face was yellowish pale and there were dark circles under his green eyes.  
David smiled and Maria sat down beside him. She liked his smile, it was much handsomer than the wary look he used to give her. Zachariah hoped up and settled himself on Maria's lap. David told her it was Robin who adopted Zachariah. They were getting tired of rats eating the food on the ship, so when Robin found the starving kitten, he brought him on board.

"What are you doing up here?" She asked him.

"Sailing makes me sick. First day's the worst." David winced and grabbed his stomach as the ship went over a wave.

"Do you like the business?"

"Beats being a servant. Get to take more to my mother and making my way up. Robin's family has been good to me."

Maria nodded and looked up at the sky. The stars were bright and twinkled. She saw a few constellations she had only seen in books.  
"Um—how, how is Moonacre?"

David raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "you two are bloody prideful. He's doing alright. Misses you though. He was supposed to come with us, but his father needed him. Won't be happy to hear he missed seeing his favorite Moon Princess."

Maria struggled to hide her smile. She felt her cheeks burn at what David said and her heart hoped it was true.

"And Moonacre's just fine," he added.

Maria stayed up late that night. She kept David company and he told her stories of their adventures these past years.

As Mr. Thomas predicted, their sail was anything but ordinary. Maria discovered Zachariah to be a strange cat. He carried himself wisely, as if he knew things others didn't. According to Henry, it was rare to see him outside the kitchen, yet throughout the voyage he had stayed by Maria's side.  
On their second night, their ship came across an unexpected storm. The high waves rocked the ship back and forth. The rain pelted the deck for two days forcing the girls to spend their trip below deck with the boys. Although Richard and Cat told them this storm was pretty tame, Maria and Jane were scared. Maria remembered Robin's stories of the shipwrecked sailors and couldn't help but feel small and at the mercy of the waves.

"Maria what have you got to worry about? From what Robin's said, I reckon the ocean will protect you," David remarked, brushing away her concerns.

"After all you are Mother Nature's favorite Moon Princess!" Richard said to the bewildered confusion of the rest of the girls.

The boys told stories of their business travels to pass time. Cat spent a great deal making David uncomfortable with her attention and mentally gushing about how handsome Richard was. Lizzy tried to make polite conversation with Henry, but he remained distant and responded short answers. Henry only spoke to Maria, or when Cat would force an answer from him.  
Jane on the other hand, was having a hard time keeping Richard away. He tried many times to get close to her, but Jane wasn't having it. She knew his type. The type to play with girls and only leave broken hearts and reputations.

Mrs. Thomas was amused by the De Noir gang. She found Richard to be charming and Henry and David to be very polite. Mr. Thomas didn't share these sentiments. He couldn't help but wonder how Maria, a girl who looked perfectly sensible, came to befriend these bandit looking young men. Mr. Thomas was sure they looked no different than the highwaymen he often heard stories about. Though he liked Harold and found him to be respectable, he didn't like the way his son stole glances at Lizzy.

On arriving to the port, the girls said their good byes to the gang and continued by carriage to their destination, a Spanish city called Zaragoza. It was a beautiful festive city with a large flowing river. Some old buildings were in the Mudéjar style, their intricate patterns were hypnotizing and decorated the horizon.  
The girl's residence was a large Spanish house by the city center. They were welcomed with a grand ball in their honor. Arabian tapestries hung along the ballroom and the chandeliers were made of intricate crystal designs. The orchestra played music from all over the world and performers danced to traditional Spanish music. Maria and Jane were introduced to the family and spent their evening getting to know the girl's grandparents, relatives, and cousins. Despite the fun they were having, Maria and Jane were exhausted from their travels and retired to their rooms early that night to sleep.

The rest of their time in Spain was spent visiting the Basilica del Pilar, shopping at the central market, and touring nearby cities. Mrs. Thomas was able to get them permission to see the Aljafería Palace. It was a medieval Islamic palace with beautiful Moorish architecture. Maria had never seen anything like it.

Other days were spent with the rest of the family. The sisters had twin cousins, Phillipe and Armando, who took the girls horseback riding through the countryside. Jane didn't know how to ride, so Phillipe gladly took it upon himself to give her lessons, something Jane did not mind. She even rode on the same horse with him. That night the girls teased her endlessly. Lizzy told Jane she would make a great cousin-in-law.  
Maria planned to bring her family here. Sir Benjamin would appreciate the architecture and style, Loveday would love the atmosphere, and Ms. Heliotrope would like the Spanish embroidery and fabrics. Maria knew Robin would love riding in the countryside or visiting the beautiful parks.

Their return to England came too quickly and the girls had a teary departure. It was their last time with Jane until next summer. She promised to join Maria in Moonacre for Ms. Heliotrope's wedding. Lizzy and Cat also promised to attend.

Maria spent the end of her summer in Moonacre. With a child underway, the manor had been transformed. Unused furniture and loose decorations had been stored away. A few rooms had been outfitted with new locks. Even the library had been rearranged. Books on the lowered shelves were moved to higher ones.

There was an excited buzz about the air. Loveday, who was close to delivering her baby, was frazzled and nervous. Her round stomach restricted her and added to her restlessness. Sir Benjamin was animated and spent his days looking after his wife. He made sure she was comfortable and helped her get around the house. He even took her on daily walks to the forest to ease her frustration.  
Mr. De Noir was excited to be a grandfather. Occasionally, the two men would bicker over which side of the family the child would be most like. Of course Mr. De Noir wanted a tough grandchild capable of carrying out the De Noir hunting traditions. Sir Benjamin hoped for an intelligent child that would move in the world of diplomacy. When their discussion got too heated, Maria or Loveday would quickly declare the child would be following the Moon Princess' traditions. Maria didn't know how Robin felt about the incoming baby, she didn't see him that summer.

* * *

"Robin!" Called out Richard as he and the rest of the gang searched for Robin in their forest clearing. They had just arrived from their Spanish expedition and Mr. De Noir informed the boys Robin had been in the forest all day.

A nut bounced off Richard's bowler hat.

"Get down from there, you damned bird boy!" Richard said chucking a stick in Robin's direction. He was sitting up on the tree laughing.

Robin hoped down and nimbly landed on his feet next to Henry.

"You boys are still wearing your city garments?" Robin remarked.

"No time to change, wanted to give you the news. Robin you wouldn't believe who we ran into on our voyage," David said.

"A couple of beautiful, proper ladies," Richard interjected.

Robin shook his head at Richards's nonsense. There wasn't a city they had been to where Richard did not find beautiful women.

"—Oh and Maria was there too," Richard added drawing Robin's attention. "This one though," Richard said smacking Henry's stomach, "Wasn't too friendly with any of them."

The boys told Robin all about their trip. Though Robin pretended he didn't care, there was no mistaking his peaked interest at hearing about Maria.

That night, Robin and Henry were in the library with Charles. Despite their disdain for one another, Charles had been useful. He knew the history and politics of all the major trade cities and easily advised Robin and his friends on their negotiations. Telling them what to say, what topics to avoid, and how to navigate treacherous relations. Plus, Robin had to admit, Charles had done a good job at taking care of the forest. Though Charles occasionally mentioned the profit they could make from the lumber.  
When they were finished, Charles left the two boys to go sleep.

"Robin."

"Mmm," he responded. Robin was holding a few papers between his lips as he sorted through the rest of the documents.

"Does Sir Benjamin like you?"

Robin paused at his question and after a thought, shrugged his shoulders. "Dunno."

"But what does he think of you? Like for Maria?" He continued.

Robin gave Henry a confused look and mumbled through his papers, "whatter Ire care."

Henry rolled his eyes and gestured towards the pile of papers on the table. "Robin, we all know this whole business thing, it's not you. You're doing it for Maria."

Robin glared and tossed his papers onto the table, "it's nothing like that."

"Oh really? That's why you postponed your meeting with Charles all night and spent your day in the forest? You just love the trade," Henry remarked sarcastically.

"I told you all before. It was my father's idea wants me to earn respect for myself—"

"From Sir Benjamin?"

"Oh alright," Robin snapped. "Said it's so I can be 'at her level' or something. Doesn't want others to think I'm a dolt."

"So what does the Merryweather think of you?" Henry pressed for answers.

Robin grumbled as he leaned back against his chair. "Well for starters, I tried to kidnap his niece. He thinks I don't know anything but hunting, I'm not worth Maria's time, and…" Robin paused as he let out a sigh, "that I'll take advantage of her."

Henry let out a long breath, "the devil, no wonder you've kept your distance."

"No kidding."

"But you do still fancy her?"

Robin furrowed his brow and watched Henry carefully. "What's with all this questioning?"

Henry shifted his weight and fidgeted with his hat, "nothing just wondering."

Robin raised an eyebrow, not believing his friend. "This have anything to do with those girls Richard mentioned?"

Henry placed his hat back on to his head and lowered it down over his eyes.

"Who is she?"

"No one."

"Is it the blonde one?"

"No"

"The chatty one?"

"God no."

"…Maria?" Robin asked, there was a dangerous growl to his question.

Henry chuckled, "she's all yours."

"Is—is it Sir Benjamin?" Robin asked laughing.

Henry angrily threw a book at Robin's head knocking his hat off, "watch it!"

"You're the one asking about him, no judgement here!"

"It's one of the sisters. Not the chatty one. Her father watched me the entire voyage. Reckon he thinks I'm out to get his daughter."

"But are you?"

"No, she's just interesting. It's nothing."

"So you want to impress her father? Seems a lot of trouble for a simple interest."

"Says the one who's expanded his father's trade."

Robin smirked and shrugged his shoulders. That night, he was getting ready for bed. He took off his hat and hung his red feathered scarf from his lamp. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," he called. Robin let out an exasperated sigh as Maybelle slid into his room. She was wearing a revealing night dress and her curly hair hung loose below her shoulders.

"Maybelle what do you want? It's late."

"Charles mentioned you arrived, I wanted to see for myself."

"Well you saw. Now leave," Robin said pointing to the door.

"Is that anyway to greet a beloved cousin?" Maybelle pouted and rushed to give Robin a hug.

"Maybelle what the hell are you doing?"

"Just wanted to show you how much I missed you," Maybelle slyly replied. She pushed Robin towards the bed and took of his jacket. She brushed her hands over his chest and went to unbutton his shirt.

Robin quickly pushed her hands away and ran to the other side of his bed. "I thought you went to school to be a lady!"

Maybelle stomped her feet and pursed her lips. "Well while you're hear sulking about that Merryweather girl and judging me, you should know she spends her days sneaking out and hanging around boys in alleys."

"Don't you dare lie about Maria!"

"I don't have to, you can ask for yourself. She hangs around the Rutgers's boys."

Robin sat on his bed processing what she just said. He wouldn't believe it. Maybelle must be lying. But then the boy that night. Maria was very close to him, she must have known him from before.

Maybelle climbed onto Robin's bed and inched closer from behind. She began to massage his shoulders, interrupting his thoughts.  
"Robin, don't waste time on Maria when there are other girls who would willingly place themselves at your feet," Maybelle whispered in his ear.

Robin snapped himself out of it and bolted away from her. "Maybelle have some respect for yourself! Why don't you go after boys who actually like you?"

Maybelle's lip quivered and her glaring eyes got watery. She stormed out of his room and slammed the door behind her.

That night Robin was unable to sleep. His thoughts kept going back to that night he saw Maria and what Maybelle said. He was fuming and tried to persuade himself he didn't actually care. But he did care.  
He told himself he was only looking after Maria. He didn't trust city boys, he heard the things they said about girls at the pub. Always betting on who could get the most and which girl would be the first to break.  
Yes, that was it. He was just looking out for her, she was after all very close to Loveday. He was going to get to the bottom of this, for Loveday.

* * *

Part 2: A Third Year

Back at Porters, now as third years, the three girls were assigned first years to take charge off.

"My mother has promised my a grand ball for my 16th birthday," One of Maria's girls, Caroline, said. She was just fifteen and came from a family with a long history of exploration and conquest. "She said I'll meet many suitors and quickly get married."

Maria looked to the side as she rolled her eyes. She was taking the girls around the school and showing them their classrooms. Although her group was talkative and friendly, they only spoke of boys and marriage. She wondered if she and her friends were ever like that.

The girls missed Jane and heard from her through letters.

" _Girls, I've missed you all so much. I can hardly bear the thought of staying at home much longer. On my first day back, my younger brothers hid my belongings in a shed. When I finally found and retrieved them, I came back to my room to find it locked from the inside! On another day while out in the city, my brothers left home without me. I was forced to walk all the way home. Thank God it was summer. There was enough light by the time I arrived. I can't wait to be with you all in the summer. Even dealing with Richard's incessant flirting is heaven compared to the pranks and tricks of my brothers. I hate being the only girl."_

By the end of September, Ms. Heliotrope wrote to Maria with fantastic news, Loveday delivered a beautiful baby boy! He was named Albert and Maria could not wait to meet him.

Fall gave in to a harsh winter. Storm after storm invaded Moonacre, drenching the land with snow and rain. Maria was forced indoors away from the bad weather. She sat in the library with her chin resting on her hand, staring gloomily out the window. It was pouring rain. The dark clouds snuffed all light except for the occasional flash of lightning.  
Her only consolation was meeting her baby cousin. The library door groaned open and Loveday came in. In her arms was her baby Albert and Maria's Moonacre book. "Maria, you must be cold over there, come sit here with me by the fire."

With a smile, Maria walked over and sat right alongside Loveday. She gently poked through the blanket, revealing Albert's chubby cheeks. He was a pudgy baby who had her uncle's dark hair and Loveday's beautiful blue-grey eyes.

"Read to us again, Maria. I could use a mental break."

Maria took from Loveday her Moonacre book and began to read from the beginning. Albert smiled and nestled closer to Loveday who closed her eyes and rested back against the couch. Although he was a sweetheart and loved to laugh, he cried too much. His cries would echo through the manor, disturbing everyone's sleep. When Maria first arrived back home, she found her family exhausted and sleepless. Even Wrolf and Ms. Heliotrope were affected by the newborn baby. Albert's cries had forced Wrolf to sleep out in the stable with the horses. Ms. Heliotrope was looking forwards to moving out now more than ever. The cottage Digweed was building was put on hold due to the rain but Maria could see it was going to be a perfect home for the couple.  
Working with Ms. Heliotrope, they took care of Albert during the day, letting Loveday and Sir Benjamin get some needed rest. Maria especially loved to read to him. She wasn't sure if he paid much attention, but she found that he seemed to listen when she read.

That spring, the rain followed Maria back to London. Billowing storms came from the sea and forced the people indoors. The winds had been so strong a few ships were pushed astray and crashed onto the cliffs. London wasn't the only stormy city. The coasts along England had all been hit with heavy gales, resulting in many shipwrecks and deaths. Maria hoped the De Noir ships were safe and that Harold's crew had made it back to London in one piece.

Due to the weather, that spring the girls did not sneak out of the school, nor did they want to leave its shelter. As third years, they were asked to run errands in the city for the school.  
Cat came into the room. She stomped her way to her bed and let herself fall face first into her mattress. With her face pressed into her pillow, she let out a low muffled groan.

"What's wrong?" Maria asked. Lizzy hardly looked up from her assignment, she was used to Cat's antics.

"Mrs. Watson wants us to pick up the mail. The post got delayed and the postmen were unable to deliver it on time."

Now, both Lizzy and Maria groaned. They forced themselves into raincoats, chose their most hardened parasols, and went down to the main entrance.

Maria pushed open the door. The girls stared into the downpour. "Are you ladies ready?" Maria asked them.

Cat grimaced and Lizzy looked crestfallen, neither looking forwards to repeating this ordeal. The few times Maria and her friends had been sent out, they returned to the school drenched and with broken parasols. They didn't run into Bast or his friends either of those times. Cat hoped she would see him in the Spring Ball.

Maria passed the time reading her books. She continued receiving books from her mysterious benefactor. They were fairytales and adventures of pirates and kings. These she made sure to keep hidden from Mrs. Watson's watchful eye under her mattress. Lizzy even enjoyed them and would read them once Maria was finished.

As the stormy weather went away, Maria's dreams gradually became nightmares. Sometimes she would dream of the night she broke the curse, reliving her jump repetitively. In one she heard voices urging her to jump. In another, she woke up screaming when Robin pushed her off the cliff.  
She also dreamed of the De Noir gang out at sea. Sometimes the ship would be engulfed by large waves. Once, the ship crashed into a cliff-side and everyone on board drowned. Maria wrote frantically that night to Loveday, asking about the boys' safety. Loveday assured her they were all fine and had been focusing their trade inland.  
Lizzy and Cat worried about their friend. They would take turns comforting her, and did their best to make her nights better. Cat would tell her bedtime stories they learned from their mother, hoping to distract Maria from any bad thoughts. When Jane found out from Lizzy about Maria's sleepless nights, she sent Maria some tea to help her sleep.

Maria was grateful for her friends and did her best to remain upbeat. She didn't want her weariness to show through. She didn't want to be a burden.

The Spring Ball this year was held at Rutgers's School for Boys. It was one of London's oldest schools and located in the outskirts of the city. It used to be a fortress but was converted to a school long ago. Bast and his friends gave the girls a personalized tour. Maria was impressed by the large school grounds. They had plenty of room for hunting, horseback riding, and all sorts of outdoor activities. A stark contrast from their rigid and academically focused school. Through the night Maria did her best to have fun, but she was exhausted and only danced a few songs with William. Managing a quick break, she stole away and hid behind a pillar. There she let out a large yawn, struggling to remain upright.

"Are you ok?"

Maria jumped, it was Cat. She had followed Maria, worried about her.

Maria nodded her head, but Cat didn't believe her.

"Maria, what's wrong? Please tell me."

Maria stifled a whimper. "I'm tired Cat. So very tired. And William, he won't leave me alone. He insists on dancing over and over again, but I just want to sit down and rest. Oh Cat, I just want to sleep!"

Cat brought her into a warm hug and stroked her back.

Maria quietly cried into Cat's shoulder, feeling her strength break. William had also offered to take her out to see the school grounds, but she did not want to be alone with him again.

"Maria, you should go home and try to sleep."

"But I don't want to leave you girls."

"We'll be alright, it's you who we're worried about. You know what, how about Lizzy and I take you home together. We'll tuck you into bed and make sure you're alright!"

"No, no, I can't possibly take you two away from the ball! I know how much you've missed Bast. Don't worry about me, I'll make it home safe."

Maria waited outside with a manservant for her carriage to arrive. The rain had let up and she could just make out the stars above the dark clouds. She didn't like that night. There was an uneasiness about the air. She was happy she wasn't waiting alone, she had a horrible feeling of being watched.

When she tried to sleep that night, Maria dreamt she was being followed. No matter what twist and turn she made, the shadow was always behind her. Maria cried herself back to sleep, she was tired and just wanted to go home.

* * *

Maria let out a deep breath as the Manor's gates came to view. She was relieved to be home for the summer. One more year and she would be back in Moonacre for ever, well at least until she married. She felt a dropping sensation at the pit of her stomach and thought of Robin. It felt like ages since she last saw him and her heart ached at memories of their short time together. She missed his company. In fact she missed it so much, she thought she would be willing to talk to him should she see him—after she got some sleep. She had been irritable lately.  
Arriving at the manor, Maria was greeted by her family at the door. When Albert spotted Maria he squealed with delight and raised his arms to be carried. Maria took him and spun him around in the air. She covered his face with kisses and hugged him tightly.  
Loveday and her Uncle looked better rested, though Maria did not miss the graying strands on her Uncle's hair. Despite Loveday's weariness, her eyes shined bright with mischief. When she hugged Maria she whispered in her ear that Robin was arriving to Moonacre from his travels too. Loveday wanted to get the family together for dinner soon.  
Ms. Heliotrope squeezed Maria in a tight embrace and inspected her face. "Good heavens Maria! You look dreadfully thin and sickly!"

She quickly led Maria off to bed and brought her some warm soup. Wrolf followed behind and curled into a ball at the foot of her bed. That night Ms. Heliotrope sat by Maria's bed until Maria fell asleep. For the first time that spring, Maria had a restful sleep.

The next morning, Maria woke up to her favorite colorful cookies. Ms. Heliotrope soon came up with a warm breakfast and helped her get ready. Feeling better, Maria went down to the piano room. She sat on the bench and began playing a soft whimsical melody. One that she hadn't been taught but her heart knew so well. Through the song Maria heard foots steps approach the room. She stopped and watch the door intently. As the steps got closer her heart quickened. It dropped in disappointment as Ms. Heliotrope entered the room.

"Maria, I'm going out with your uncle and Loveday. We are taking Albert to Silverydew and I'll be doing some shopping for the wedding, would you like to join us?"

"I'm not feeling too well, I've been exhausted…"

"Alright dear, have Marmaduke cook you a warm soup and we'll see you for supper."

Maria closed the piano and rested her elbows on the cover.  _What to do…_ She thought. She had the whole day to herself but no one to spend it with.  _What about—no!_ Her thoughts momentarily went to Robin and she chastised herself. _Besides a proper lady would never seek out a man._

Maria realized she hadn't been to the Moon Princess' dwelling in three years. She decided she would do some investigating herself since a certain someone broke one too many promises. She rummaged through her trunk and pulled out her pouch. She filled it with her stones and made her way to the forest with Wrolf at her heels.

Arriving to the dwelling she was horrified by its deteriorating state. Cobwebs decorated the nooks and spaces between the roots. Dust inches thick covered the open spaces and the bed's sheets were moldy. She was struck with an idea. She would make the dwelling her getaway just as the first moon princess did. Here she would be able to escape Albert's crying and read in peace.

Maria worked hard to clean it up. Wrolf faithfully guarded the door of her dwelling, well as much as an ancient lion could. He spent most of his time napping. She borrowed some new bed sheets and comforters from the manor to dress the bed with. Unaccustomed to the stiff corset, and not wanting to ruin her new dress, she removed her bodice, corset, and skirt so that she could comfortably clean in her chemise and petticoat. Maria worked hard through the hours and heat, dusting the cobwebs, throwing out debris, and filled one of the stone's crevices with the books she had received from her mysterious benefactor. Here they would be safe away from the scrutiny of proper society.

Exhausted and satisfied with the result, Maria plumped down on her new bed. Embraced by the warm summer day, Maria fell asleep, the sun bright up overhead.

Four black stallions made their way to De Noir castle late at night. Recognized by the gate guards, they were let in and dropped off their horses at the stable.

"Off to bed?" Asked Richard.

"There is no where I'd rather be." Robin made his way through the dark castle. He had spent most of spring traveling through the country establishing new trade routes and securing merchants.  
The roads, eroded by the rain and filled with fallen trees, delayed their journey. A few times they came across desperate thieves and fought their way out. Once a carriage had overturned into a ravine and the boys just managed to save the family that was lodged inside by the mud. To their luck, that family happened to own many of the routes up north and quickly made a deal as gratitude for saving them.

His bedroom was a welcomed sight. He quickly took off his clothes and crawled onto his bed, welcoming sleep.

_Boom. Boom. Boom._

Robin woke up with a start. His head hurt, and he was sure he hadn't been sleeping for long. Groggily he got up and opened his door.

"Lo—Loveday? Bloody hell what time is it? What are you even doing here?"

"Robin, its Maria, she hasn't come home."

Robin rolled his eyes and walked back to his bed where he sat down. Loveday followed him in. She was worried and paced the room.

"Well yeah isn't she in school?"

"No! She arrived yesterday. We were supposed to meet for supper, but she wasn't home! Wrolf is gone too. He would never stay out. We can't find her!"

Robin jolted awake and quickly put on his leather trousers and boots. He grabbed a torch as he made his way out of the castle and into the woods.

Robin searched through the forest all night, calling for Maria.  _Where could see be…_  Robin remembered the amphitheater.

He took off running. His heart beating against his chest and his eyes stung as the cold ocean air blew past his face. The crescent moon high in the night sky illuminated an empty amphitheater. Fearing the worst Robin scaled down the trail to the beach, a path he hadn't taken since he came with Maria. The trip down was painful, he slipped and scraped himself against the rocks. A branch caught his shirt and tore through it. Robin ignore the pain and continued forwards. As he jumped off the giant boulder onto the sand, a strong rotting stench hit him. There were piles of wood and trash littered across the beach. A ship's hull, broken in half, and a mast stuck out of the shore.  
Robin shook his head,  _another shipwreck._   _The stench must be coming from the dead bodies._  Robin hoped they didn't suffer much. He would have to tell his father about it tomorrow.

Robin scaled back up the cliff. His mind racing, trying to think of a place Maria could be. As he reached the top, an overgrown bush blocked the entrance to a tunnel.  
 _Of course!_ Robin used his torch to guide his way into the passageway. He was relieved his stones, though now covered in dirt, still marked the path.

Robin reached the door to the grotto. He braced himself and opened it. In the darkness, Robin made out a figure on the bed. He quietly entered and inched closer. Robin held his breath. Maria was fast asleep curled up on her side. Her silhouette showed how much she'd grown.  
The blue moonlight bounced off her white dress and illuminated her curved body. Robin realized with a shock how much time had passed between them. She was no longer the thin and wiry 13 year old girl he once knew. She moved as he stepped closer, murmuring a few words.  
His heart quickened and he let out a deep breath. Blood rushed to his face. His ears burned, and he felt himself tense. He didn't know what to do. Robin paced the floor thinking of what to tell her, or even how to wake her up.

 _She must be exhausted_. Robin nervously walked closer, and nudged her shoulder. Maria stirred but wouldn't wake up.  
 _She's probably tired from spending late evenings with that city boy,_ Robin thought angrily. His mind flashed back to Maybelle's words. Fuming that she should sleep while he went through Moonacre looking for her, he banged his fists on the wall and yelled, "Maria wake up!"

Maria's eyes blinked open and she stretched high into the air.

As she sat up Robin was embarrassed to realize she was only in her undergarments. He felt his ears burn. Mentally kicking himself, he forced his attention elsewhere. His eyes fell on a makeshift bookshelf across from him. He fought every urge to look at her.

Maria was confused. She didn't know how long she had been asleep for or who woke her up. The feint moonlight illuminated a tall figure in the shadows.

"Who are you? And how dare you come at this hour!" Maria huffed in indignation.

He stood against the wall, his side to her. He seemed to be very interested in her collection of books. His shirt was torn and muddy. She could make out a toned torso and muscled arms that brought on a small blush. Suddenly she remembered what she was wearing. Quickly she reached for her blankets to cover herself with and feared he was a vagabond who had come to do her harm.

"Don't come near me you ruffian, I will defend myself!" She warned him looking around for anything she could use as a weapon. Her eyes fell on a cast iron pot.

"Has it really been so long you don't recognize me?" The voice was low and hoarse. Something about it was familiar. Now adjusted to the dark, Maria recognized the leather pants and curly mane of brown hair.

"Robin?" She questioned with disbelief. He was taller, and his shoulders were broader.

"Hello Princess." Robins face was hard as he casually gave her a side-glance. He shifted his weight, feeling her eyes on him. He immediately regretted his state. From his travels, his hair was longer and unkept. He also hadn't been able to shave for a few days.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him. Maria patted down her hair, trying to tame her curls. Her heart was beating quickly and the butterflies in her stomach were a fluttering mess.

"Looking for a lost Moon Princess. Her family is worried about her. So much so they felt the need to wake me up and make me find her." He answered dryly, still refusing to look at her.

His words stung Maria.

"Well you found her, you may go now." Maria said hurt.

Robin turned to leave, but stopped in his tracks. Still avoiding her direction he said, "Maria, what are you doing? And in what state are you in? Do you think this is a game?"

"Oh just because I am younger than you it means everything I do is child's play?"

"That's not what I mean, look at the time! Your family is worried sick about you."

"I didn't meant to fall asleep. I was tired."

"Well maybe you should be sleeping instead of sneaking around with boys! What would Loveday- what would your family think if they knew?"

Maria gaped. "Excuse me! What I do with my time is none of your business. Hang on, how do you know that?" Maria recalled the various instances she had felt watched. "Have you been following me?"

Robin was speechless. He didn't want to admit that he had seen her. Finding no defense he stormed towards the door.

"Oh no you don't!" Maria jumped out of her bed and ran to stop him. She stood defiantly in his path. Her eyes sparked with fire.

Robin averted his eyes and tried to walk around her. She stepped in front of him and pushed him from the door.  
Robin fell backwards and pulled Maria with him. They landed together on the bed, Maria on top of him. Robin tried to roll away from her, but Maria sat on his torso. She pinned his arms by his head. Her chemise hung loose around her chest as she bent over him. Robin's stomach tightened and he shot his face to the side.  
She used all of her weight to hold him down. He was definitely stronger than her. She could feel his muscles with her hold. She searched his eyes for answers but he refused to look at her.

"You coward! After so long you still can't even look at me!"

Robin directed his eyes full of anger to her and shouted "don't you see what you're wearing?"

Maria looked down on her loose chemise and blushed red. She scrambled away from him and sat on the other side of the bed.

Robin sat up and faced away from her.

"You've seen me in my undergarments before," Maria mumbled.

"You were 13!"

"Oh right I was too young for you to have any interest in me."

"That's not what I meant! Your body is different. I—never mind."

They sat in silence. Robin rested his head on his hand as he rubbed his eyes. If she wouldn't budge then he would just have to carry her home.

"You're coming home with me," Robin said. He stood up and marched towards Maria.

"No I won't! I have made this place my own. You are not welcomed here," Maria backed away and pointed towards the exit.

"This place belonged to my ancestor, it's as much yours as it is mine! Besides, you would've never found this place without me!"

"I would've managed." Maria stated as she crossed her arms and held her head high.

Robin scoffed, "You? A city girl? Even the boy's you hang out with couldn't survive out here on their own."

"They are perfectly capable young men. And more importantly, find me old enough to be my friend."

Robin groaned in frustration and banged his fist on the wall. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. After all he had done.  
"Those boys are fools and I'm taking you home."

Maria cried out as Robin grabbed her by her hand and pulled her to him. He wrapped his hands around her waist and slung her over his shoulder. He stuffed her clothes under his other arm and made his way out to the forest. Wrolf, who had woken up with the commotion, happily trotted up ahead.

"Put me down you oaf!" Maria slammed her fists along his back and tried to kick him but his hold was strong. Unsuccessful, Maria gave up and accepted her fate.

The walk to the manor was silent. Maria was furious. This was not how she wanted her encounter with Robin to be. She muttered to herself about the indignity of the situation.

Robin was frustrated too. He couldn't believe how immature and reckless Maria was acting. He shook his head. Maria caught a whiff of his earthy scent and wanted to punch him for sending her heart into such a mess.

As they neared the manor Robin stopped and brought Maria down to her feet, keeping her close to his body. Robin inhaled her sweet aroma and for the first time looked into her eyes. He processed how much time had passed between them. He didn't want to let her go. He noticed she really did look tired, and wondered if in fact, she found someone else to love.  
Under the rising sun Maria made out the details of his face. He looked tired and his dark eyes were forlorn. There was a longing in them that Maria wished she could help fill. He was once her best friend, if even for a short time, and now she felt there was a ocean between them.

"You can let go of me now," Maria whispered, looking into his eyes.

"Your hands are still around my neck."

Maria pursed her lips and slid her hands down to his chest. She nervously played with a button on his collar. He saw her ears turn pink. Robin closed his eyes and tightened his grasp around her waist. Letting out a deep breath, he released her and stepped back. He didn't want Sir Benjamin to see them this way.

"You should get dressed," Robin said handing Maria her clothes.

Maria blushed a deep red and fumbled with her skirt and corset. "Turn around bird boy, only my future husband can see me in this state."

"Feel bad for that bloke, wish him all the luck in the world."

"Robin you are so rude! Well you can rest assure you will never need that luck, I won't ever end up marrying you."

Robin's heart tightened, crushed by an invisible fist. His face hardened and he narrowed his eyes. Grinding his teeth, he turned around and crossed his arms. After what seemed like forever Robin glanced over his shoulder and saw her struggling with her corset.

"Hurry up there Princess, I would like to catch some sleep."

"Without my mirror it's hard to tie—oof!" Maria cried as Robin took the strings from her hands and began to lace up her corset.

"Well that's one thing you know how to do," she remarked sarcastically.

"I've had practice."

At his words Maria's color faded from her face. She thought about what he said and hot tears welled in her eyes. When he was finished she turned around and found his face hard and unreadable.  
"I-I hate you so much Robin De Noir!"

"If that makes you not marrying me all that much easier, so be it," he said shoving his hands into his pockets and shrugging his shoulders.

Mustering the angriest glare she had, Maria hit his chest and stormed off to the manor. She banged on its door without looking back. Immediately, Ms. Heliotrope opened it and took Maria into a warm hug. Over her shoulder, Maria turned to search for Robin, but he was already gone.


	16. A Summer of Scheming and Progress

"Yes, yes uncle, I'll see right to it," Charles said stepping out of Mr. De Noir's office. He made his way to the great hall to meet with his friends. The only people he liked in this castle.

"Michael, John, round up some men. My uncle found us more chores to do."

John snorted as he stood up.

"Ey Charles, when are we going to get on with this? It's all been a bloody joke." Michael said.

"I know!" Charles snapped. "How do you think I feel? I should be the one out there negotiating deals, not Robin!"  
After the wedding, it became clear to Charles and his family that obtaining power from marrying Maybelle to Robin was going to be a slim possibility, especially if the Moon Princess was to remain alive. Therefore, when word got out that Coeur was expanding the trade, Charles' father insisted that he move back into the castle to be close to the family. The plan was that with his intelligence, Charles would be the one to lead the expansion and force Robin to stay in the castle. Not the other way around.

At the amphitheater, Charles looked down at the hastily scrawled notes on his paper. Robin left directions for him to get to the shipwreck. He could hardly make out Robin's writing.

' _Search for the trail below the bushes,'_  the note directed. Charles groaned. There were bushes everywhere.

"I found a path!" John called from the side.

They made their way down to the shore. Charles despised every minute of it. His pointed shoes slipped on the rocks and sand. He lost his balance and fell, tearing his breeches at the knee and dirtying his new riding coat. Charles angrily muttered curses to Robin and his family down the path.

Arriving at the beach the group was hit with a gut-wrenching stench that caused everyone to stagger.

Charles coughed and gagged. He used his coat to cover his nose.

"Let's get on with this before we all faint!"

The men got to work. They stacked the wood, trash, and any surviving merchandise into separate piles. The wood was to be used as a pyre for any remaining bodies.  
John and Michael went towards the hull while Charles waited out by the cliff. His sickly look of disgust was a clear indication he would not be helping with anything today.  
With the low tide, they found an entrance to the hull. The boys wrinkled their faces, the rotting stench was strongest here. The darkness was broken by a few cracks in the hull that allowed sunlight to stream in.

"Ugh. That's bloody disgusting," Michael pointed to the pile of dead sailors out in the back.

"Well, they're dead. What do you expect?" John waded through the knee-deep water towards the bodies. Someone had to take them out.

Charles walked around the pyre, three bodies had so far been found. He almost felt bad for them. The corpses were all a ghastly blue-white with purple and green spots. They were bloated beyond recognition. Their eyeballs and tongues protruded from their faces, their state of decomposition emitted a disgusting smell. Charles could not wait to burn them and leave the blasted place. Very little identification had been found, only the tattered flag that hung from the mast gave a clue as to whose ship this was. Charles recognized it to be from a competing merchant company.

"AHHHH!"

Charles heard John's scream from the hull. He ran over as Michael came out.

"Charles quick! You won't believe what we've found!" Michael shouted.

Charles neared the entrance but recoiled from the smell.

"Oh stop being such a fop!" Michael said shoving him into the hull.

* * *

Maria was in the library reading to Albert. He was nestled on her lap sucking his thumb. Occasionally he would babble along after Maria. He was quite the talker, a trait Sir Benjamin wasn't looking forwards to. His tousled black hair had gotten longer and stuck out on its ends. Despite Ms. Heliotrope's many attempts, his hair refused to be tamed.

"Ms. Maria, a carriage just arrived," Digweed said popping his head into the library.

Maria took Albert into her arms and hurried down to the main entrance. Coming down the road to the manor was a black carriage led by brown spotted horses. Maria smiled.

"Maria! We've missed you!" Cat cried raising herself out the window.

"Sit down Cat! You're going to get hurt!" Maria heard Lizzy scold Cat.

Cat hopped out of the carriage as soon as it stopped. She was wearing a pink bustle dress with a matching bonnet. She was followed by Lizzy and Jane who were also wearing bustled gowns. Lizzy wore a light green bustle dress and white bonnet. Jane's dress was dark blue with a bluebonnet skewed to the side.

"What an interesting dress!" Cat remarked. Maria was wearing one of Loveday's old dresses. It was a dark blue velvet dress with black lace accents. Now that she was older, she filled the dress quite nicely.

"Oh these are the dresses I wear in Moonacre. They're from Loveday and much more comfortable for the countryside," Maria explained.

"That was quite a ride," Jane said adjusting her bonnet.

Maria smiled, "you wouldn't believe my uncle improved it. It was much worst when I first moved here."

"Is this your cousin?" Cat asked. "Oh he's such a beautiful baby boy. And just look at those eyes! Lizzy look!"

Albert stared at the girls with wide eyes and a dimpled grin on his face. His only three front teeth were showing.

"Such inquisitive eyes, I like him!" Lizzy said poking his nose. Albert giggled and grabbed her finger.

"I've missed you all so much!" Maria said.

"Maria do you know what makes this summer extra special?" Cat asked interlocking her arm with Maria's. There was a glint of mischief in her eyes.

Lizzy rolled her eyes, "more special than Ms. Heliotrope getting married?"

"Lizzy, don't twist my words! This summer is the first time we're able to spend Maria's birthday with her!"

"Oh that's right," Jane said. "Maria, yours is in August, in just a few weeks away!"

Maria hadn't really thought of her birthday. She was going to turn 17. Her family always celebrated with a small dinner but for the past two years, Robin hadn't shown up to either of them. There was always some excuse for his absence. Of lately, she felt her birthday became more of a reminder of her fight with Robin, than of any celebration. Maybe this summer would be different. Maria smiled and led the girls to the manor to meet her family.

The girls found Ms. Heliotrope embroidering and Loveday napping on the couch.

Maria quietly snuck up to Loveday. She urged Albert to stay quiet. Maria brought Albert close to Loveday's cheek. They had been teaching him how to kiss, though, after teething, his kisses turned to small painful bites.

Albert squealed and planted his mouth on Loveday's cheek.

"He's getting much better," Loveday mumbled waking up. "My other cheek still hurts from last night's bite." Albert laughed with delight and begged to be carried by his mother.

"Thank you Maria for taking care of him," Loveday took Albert from Maria's arms. "Oh your friends have arrived!"

Maria introduced her friends to Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope.

"Its great to finally meet you all," Loveday greeted.

"I do hope you will all enjoy the countryside, I know it can take some time getting used to..." Ms. Heliotrope said fidgeting with her glasses.

"I'm sure we'll find plenty of things to do," Jane responded.

"Yes, from what Maria's said, Moonacre sounds just wonderful!" Cat agreed.

"And we should be thanking you Ms. Heliotrope, for allowing us to be a part of your special day," Lizzy added.

Ms. Heliotrope turned a light shade of pink, "nonsense, we're happy to have you all."

Maria spent the day showing them around the manor. Maria first showed the girls the library, Lizzy couldn't wait to go through it. Then they met Marmaduke. He greeted them with freshly baked lemon cookies and a picnic basket filled with tea and lunch for the girls to share. The girls were excited to try more of his cooking. Maria took them to the grounds where they came across Digweed. He was in his gardens pruning some buds and gave each of the girls a small bouquet of flowers to put in their rooms.

The girls stayed in the gardens all afternoon catching up and enjoying their food.

Suddenly, their conversation was broken as Cat and Jane screamed and pointed behind Maria.

"Maria! A black lion!" Lizzy stammered.

Maria turned and sure enough, there was Wrolf languidly making his way from the gardens towards them.

"Oh don't be frightened! He's more of a large dog."

"But Maria, black lions aren't real. They only exist in fairytales."

Maria laughed, if only they knew. "Well then, welcome to Moonacre's fairytale!" She said.

Wrolf came up to Maria and nudged her with his head before plopping down beside her. He was followed by Serena. Maria took some leftover ham and lettuce from their sandwiches and fed it to Wrolf and Serena.

The girls watched Maria, fear, and confusion etched on their faces. They never knew Maria to be the sort of lady with pets, much less with a large mythical lion who took leisurely strolls with a tiny hare.

"Girls, the black lion is Wrolf, and Serena is a Moonacre hare." Maria introduced the girls to her animal companions, "I saved Serena from some horrible hunters. I let her go when she was healthy again, but she chooses to stay near the manor. Sometimes she sleeps with me in my room. They're both quite spoiled here."

Urged by curiosity and mustering some courage, Lizzy crawled on her knees towards Wrolf and Serena. Wrolf watched her intently before resuming his grooming. Serena hopped over to the picnic basket.

Lizzy held out her hand and stroked Wrolf's mane. Wrolf released a loud purr causing them all to giggle. Soon Wrolf was happily on his side letting the girls braid his mane and spoil him with affection.

"So Ms. Merryweather," Cat teased. "Have you run into the infamous Mr. Robin?"

Maria blushed a deep red.

"We'll take that red glow as a yes," Lizzy remarked taking a drink from her tea.

"I may have had a small run in with him..."

Jane placed a hand on Maria's shoulder and asked, "Maria what happened?"

"Yes do tell us Maria! Will we get to meet this boy?" Cat begged to know.

Maria told the girls what happened. She ended her story, telling them about the indignity she suffered at being carried away like a sack of potatoes and their mutual desire to never be together.

Through the entire story, Cat squeaked with delight, gushing of how romantic it all was. Jane and Lizzy could barely contain their laughter.

"Oh Maria, although I admit the situation escalated quickly, surely you know it was all a misunderstanding," Jane said.

Maria huffed and fixed her bonnet.

"No really Maria think about it. Robin was doing the best he could to keep your dignity intact," Lizzy said.

"Poor boy wouldn't even look at you!" Jane added to Lizzy's words. "Had it been William he would've eaten you whole with his eyes."

Maria shook her head, "that's not the point. The point is he's still an arrogant so-and-so who thinks he's much better than me just because he's older."

"Well I think he was just looking after you. This could have all been avoided if you two simply sat and spoke like adults," Cat said. "Do you think it was that horrible Maybelle girl who told him that?"

Maria nodded her head, "that or he's been following me. But considering his general avoidance of me, I don't think that's the case."

"Was he just as handsome as before?" Cat continued.

Maria looked fluster. "He has never been ugly, but his arrogance and conceit make him intolerable."

The girls rolled their eyes. "Maria he was just worried and tired—" Lizzy insisted.

"And jealous!" Cat added.

"Maria, you yourself know how difficult it is to be virtuous with little sleep. Especially when you've had anger locked away in your heart," Jane said raising her eyebrows in Maria direction.

Maria furrowed her brow.  _I can't understand how they could be defending him,_  she thought.

* * *

"Maria look! It's the boys," Cat said drawing their attention to the dock.

It had been a few days since their arrival and Maria and Digweed brought the girls to Moonacre Port. They were shopping when the leather-clad figures caught Cat's attention.

"Perhaps Robin will be with them this time!" Lizzy said.

"Yes. We still need to meet the man who's got Maria's heart in a such a mess," Jane added teasing Maria.

Maria rolled her eyes. "Let's get on with this."  
Maria hitched her bustled skirt and made her way towards the boys. She was not going to let Robin affect her friendship with them. To her disappointed relief though, Robin wasn't there.

"Good afternoon!" Maria greeted calling their attention.

Henry's smile fell at the sight of Lizzy. Lizzy frowned and wondered if she had done something wrong.

"I see you lovely ladies couldn't stay away," Richard said, throwing Jane a wink. She scoffed, she had forgotten how full of himself Richard was.

David elbowed Richard in the ribs.

"We're actually here to do some shopping, would you boys want to join us?" Maria invited them.

"Yes we could always use some help with our bags," Cat added with a tease.

The boys had just finished unloading the cargo. They figured Charles and his lot could deal with the rest. They joined the girls along their walk. Richard and Maria took the lead. Richard was telling them about their rescue of the merchant family up north. Henry and David stayed in the back. David didn't feel like he had much to contribute, and Henry didn't want any attention.

Cat fell behind to walk next to David and Henry. She was sure Richard and Maria were doing enough talking. The back of the group however, was awfully quiet. David stiffened and Henry braced himself for the barrage of questions.

"How have you fellows been?" Cat asked.

 _And so it begins_ , thought Henry.

Henry shrugged his shoulders. He didn't really know what to respond.

"Alright I guess," David replied and Henry nodded in agreement.

"I heard about your escapade in saving the family. That was very brave."

Henry shrugged his shoulders.

"It's no small feat, you boys should be proud," Cat said trying to draw them into the conversation.

"Well we weren't about to go on our merry way and let the mud eat them," David said.

Cat laughed, "No I suppose not."

She hated the silence that fell between them. She was thinking of what to ask when Henry broke the silence.

"How was your trip to Spain last year?" Henry asked, barely audible.

"Oh it was so much fun! Jane and Maria were quite popular with my cousins. Lizzy and I already have it in mind to make Jane our cousin-in-law."

Henry smiled and David laughed.

"Richard won't like the sound of that," Henry said.

"Oh but why not?" Cat asked.

"It's obvious isn't it? He fancies her." David said.

Cat scoffed and grabbed onto David's arm. David immediately tensed. Henry stopped in his tracks and studied Cat with a quizzical expression.

"Oh please, even I know Richard's play is nothing more than that of a Casanova," Cat explained to Henry's confused look.

Henry was surprised. This entire time he thought Cat was head over heels for Richard. He let out a hearty laugh that made Cat beam.  
She was finally breaking him! After all, if he were to pursue Lizzy she would not want such a cold brother-in-law. Last summer, Cat overheard their father talk of his misgivings for Henry and the way he looked at Lizzy. Since then, she had kept a close eye on him.

Although Richard was busy telling another story, he heard every word behind him. His ears turned a bright pink.

"Erm—so Catalina, what brought you all to Moonacre?" David managed to ask.

Cat stared at him in bewilderment and laughed. Her auburn ringlets bounced along.

"That's what my mother calls me. Please call me Cat! We're visiting and planning to stay until Ms. Heliotrope's wedding."

"Well then we'll just have to give you a proper tour won't we boys?" Richard said turning back.

"Oh that sounds like a good idea!" Cat said. She then pulled David closer. David felt his cheeks burn.

"If possible, please bring Robin," Cat whispered to him, she pointed to Maria under her arm.

David raised an eyebrow.  
"What are you scheming?" David whispered back. A grin was beginning to form. Henry strained his ears to listen closely.

Cat rolled her eyes.  
"Well, we have yet to meet him, and those two have had opportunities to make amends but instead, they keep fighting. Using every excuse to feed their anger. It's absolutely frustrating," She whispered back.

Henry raised his eyebrows. Cat was right. The morning after their arrival, Robin had been incredibly irritable and angry. He refused to leave the forest and sulked all day. The boys heard from Coeur that Robin had spent the night searching for Maria after she was reported missing. The boys figured it must have been an ugly encounter. Henry tried to get Robin to talk to them, but all he did was angrily yell that Maria was being reckless and stubborn.

David thought of what she said. Though he was much closer to the boys now, he still wasn't sure if it was his place to tell Robin what to do.

"Please?" Cat implored looking into his green eyes. She liked David the most. When she spoke to him, she felt that he actually took her seriously. She needed him to help her. Though now she could see there was some hesitation in his eyes.

"I don't know, Robin is stubborn…."

"Please, please, pleeease David, I need your help!" Cat darted her eyes around herself and lowered her voice to be out of everyone's ear shot. "Henry's too busy hiding from my sister, so I doubt he'll want to come. And well Richard, I can't possibly trust him to take this seriously. He'll probably just tease Robin and anger him more. You're the only sensible one. Please?" Cat tugged at his arm and hopped on her toes.

Like Lizzy, she was tall and met his eyes. David found that he couldn't pull away from her. Her large brown eyes were bright and full of life, it was almost hypnotic. Her normally energetic smile was now replaced by a pout, one that tugged at his heart.

David sighed. "Alright. Will do."

"Promise?" Cat asked him, "You're not just teasing me?" She searched his eyes for any hint of a lie.

David couldn't lie to her even if he tried. "You have my word," David said touching his hat. His eyes smiled back. He secretly cursed the heavens for the Moon Princess and her friends. They made life difficult for him.

Cat beamed with pride and squeezed his arm. She had infiltrated the gang and now had a partner for her mission.

Once they finished their shopping the boys escorted them back to their carriage. Cat, who done the most shopping, had stayed besides David the entire time. He turned out to be a good listener, and the more they walked, the more relaxed he became. After a while even Henry occasionally added a comment or spoke without any urging from Cat. Though Cat didn't miss his stiffness when Lizzy would ask him a question.

"Thank you so much boys! We look forwards to our outing! What should we expect?" Cat said. She released her arm from David and together they put her bags into the carriage.

"A De Noir tour just for you ladies," Richard said placing his arm over Henry.

"And when should we expect that exactly?" Jane asked.

"That my dear Jane is what makes it 'De Noir'. You will know soon enough!" Richard said with a wink.

"Maria who's that?" Asked Lizzy. Henry looked to where she pointed and his face hardened.

It was Charles. He was surrounded by the same two boys from the wedding. They had grown as well and one of the boys had stitches on his cheek. They were heading towards the docks and watched them with a look of reproach and disgust.

"It's Charles. Maybelle's brother," Maria said under her breath.

The boys all looked to one another.  
"Don't mind them, they're just blessed with ugly faces that's all," Richard said, though he didn't sound too reassuring.

The boys took their leave back to the docks. David's arm felt strangely empty.

"Ey David you spent a lot of time with Cat today. How's your hearing?" Richard joked.

David just shook his head and ignored the taunt.

Once the girls got into the carriage they took off their bonnets and Lizzy looked outside the window.

"Charles certainly wasn't happy to see you," Lizzy said.

"Do you think he'll try something?" Jane asked.

"If he dares show his face near the manor we'll set Wrolf on him!" Cat said. Jane and Lizzy shuddered at the thought. They would hate to be on Wrolf's bad side.

"That boy is just despicable. It's been three years since the curse was broken! He'll have to get used to me, Moonacre's my home." Maria said. Although she wasn't going to let Charles scare her, she was worried he might do something to Robin. The scar on his friend proved to her they were no more peaceful than before.

* * *

Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir arrived at the manor in time for supper. Sir Benjamin came across Mr. De Noir at the port and invited him for dinner. Sir Benjamin had been at the port looking over his properties. He owned pieces of land in Silverydew and Moonacre Port that townspeople rented for their business. Although he wasn't excited to have a house full of talkative females, he was happy to have Maria home and appreciated the life the girls brought to the manor. Albert had a habit of draining his energy. Plus he hoped it would distract Loveday from asking for another child.

They all sat around the table eating Marmaduke's lamb and beef stew with freshly baked cornbread and a salad. Digweed was out feeding the horses.

"Maria, thank you for the tour, Moonacre is absolutely beautiful, and your home is stunning!" Cat said.

"Well it's my uncle's—"

"It's Maria's home too," Sir Benjamin interrupted with a warm smile. Loveday beamed. Since the curse had been broken, she saw her beloved man grow more patient. He would no longer demand that Ms. Heliotrope to stay quiet, and on some occasions even maintained a conversation with her. Loveday saw how much Sir Benjamin missed his niece. Although he didn't write Maria letters, he always wanted to be with Loveday when she read or responded to them.

Back in the kitchen, Marmaduke heard a feint knock at the manor's door. Since Digweed was out he decided to get it himself. To his surprise, he found Robin standing outside. Robin never came to the manor during the holidays.

"Looking for Miss Maria?" Marmaduke said with a wink.

"No! no..." Robin stammered. "I want to talk to my father. Dulac said he was here for dinner."

"Well come on in my boy, make yourself at home!"

"I would rather not. Could you please just tell him to come outside?"

Marmaduke sighed and shook his head. "They'll be another curse coming if you both keep this prideful charade going," Marmaduke scolded Robin wagging a short finger in his face.

Robin furrowed his brow.

"Come with me to the kitchen. Maria's eating with her family and your father in the dining room," Marmaduke commanded.

Robin nodded and followed him in. Robin was surprised by the large size of the kitchen. It was warm and homey. Spices, herbs, and freshly grown vegetable plants hung around the kitchen. There was a window that faced a small garden outside. Marmaduke magically bounced from counter to counter, from pot to cutting board, going about his cooking.

"Sit," he said pointing to a stool by the stove.

 _POP._  Marmaduke magically appeared in front of the Robin holding a wooden ladle,"stir."

Robin did as he was told.

"Young man, what are you doing?"

Robin looked confused, "I'm stirring a pot?..."

"Not that, I mean with Maria!"

Robin's face went hard and he muttered, "Nothing."

"That is exactly the problem!" Marmaduke cried. "You are doing nothing. You're pushing her away and letting pride be your only comfort, and I'll tell you young man, nothing good ever comes from pride!"

"The Old Parson already gave me this lecture."

"Then you already know what you should be doing."

"I tried!" Robin snapped. "She doesn't listen. Takes offense to everything I say!"

"You're supposed to be her friend not her father, leave that to Sir Benjamin."

"I'm supposed to protect her."

"Well you definitely won't be doing that by avoiding her," Marmaduke reprimanded him.

"But my family, they'd hurt her—"

"And you'd let them?"

"—what no! Of course not!"

"Then your family isn't the problem. Come along now it's time to serve desert. Bring the bread."

Marmaduke led the way with a large bowl of berry pudding to the dining room.

Robin trailed behind, frustrated that Marmaduke didn't understand the danger Maria would be in if Charles got his hands on her. Staying away from her was the best way he could protect her. He raised the tray with bread to his face, trying to hide.

"Make way for desert!" Marmaduke announced.

"Bobin!" Albert yelled and pointed towards Robin as he set down the tray of bread.

Maria threw a sharp breath and narrowed her eyes in his direction.

The girls looked from Robin to Maria. They finally came across the infamous bird boy. He was just as Maria described him. Though much more roguish and handsomer. His curly hair stuck from under his bowlerhat and his brooding eyes were made darker with the charcoal underneath them. He still wore his signature red-feathered scarf and his leather jacket added to his ruggedness. Though now Maria noticed he was clean shaven and his hair had been cut to its usual length.

Maria and Robin glared at one another.

"Robin! What a surprise," Loveday said with a large smile. "Come sit down, join us for dinner."

"No it's alright. Father, may I talk to you for a moment?" Robin looked around the table. "—Outside," he added.

"I'm sure it can wait, sit down,"

"But father, this is urgent—"

"I said sit down." Mr. De Noir said through clenched teeth.

Robin narrowed his eyes and dropped himself into a chair between his father and Ms. Heliotrope.

Maria's friends sat bewildered, their mouths hanging open. They could feel the tension between Maria and Robin simply by the way they glowered at one another. Cat was now certain she had to do something to bring these two together. She only hoped David would keep his promise.

"Oh Maria, Dear, I—I believe you should introduce everyone, please?" Ms. Heliotrope asked her.

Maria forced a smile, "of course."

"Robin de Noir, these are my friends, Catalina Thomas, Lissabetta Thomas, and Jane Williams."

"Pleasure to meet you all." Robin muttered with a head nod.

"No the pleasure is all ours, Maria's told us so much about you," Jane responded

Maria squeaked and smacked Jane's arms under the tables. Robin hid a smirk.

Albert grunted, twisting and turning in Loveday's arms. He stretched out his arms, "Bobin!" He called out again, trying to get his attention.

"Robin, he hardly gets to see you, would you mind carrying him?"

"Of course not, bring that little bugger," Robin said, his mood brightening.

Cat and Lizzy sighed under their breath.

Loveday sat Albert on Robin's lap. Robin took off his bowler hat and placed it on Albert's head. It fell down to his nose and he squealed with delight. Albert adjusted it and began playing with Robin's scarf as Robin ate his dinner.

"You'd make a great father, Robin," Loveday said, her eyes darting between Maria and Robin. Maria shifted in her seat and averted her eyes. Robin pretended not to hear.

Mr. De Noir shook his head, he'd been trying to get Loveday to stop teasing Robin. It only made him irritable and difficult to work with. She of course didn't believe so and said she was just making up for lost time.

Cat could barely contain her smile. She desperately wanted to join in with Loveday and tease the two. It was only Lizzy's death grip on her knee that stopped her from bursting.

"Father, about the business, I really do need to tell you."

"Alright boy out with it."

"Here?"

"Yes here, it's rare I get to try Marmaduke's cooking and I'm not about to leave my food for business. Besides they're family."

Marmaduke beamed at the compliment and disappeared back into his kitchen.

"Charles identified the shipwreck—"

"Oh good heavens, a shipwreck?" Cried Ms. Heliotrope.

"Yes. A few nights ago I came across a shipwreck on the shore by the amphitheater."

"What were you doing there?" Inquired Maria.

"I—erm—was looking for you," muttered Robin. He stuffed some bread into his mouth and washed it down with his drink.

"Father, it's one of Harrison's ship and we've recovered some of their merchandise. We'll need to inform them. The—" Robin looked to the table filled with sensible women. "The bodies are bloated beyond recognition. Charles was wondering if he should go ahead and burn them, or wait until you contact the Harrisons."

Gasps were heard around the table.

Mr. De Noir took a swig from his drink. "Best we wait. Don't want any bloody accusations on our backs."

"Maria, isn't that William's surname? Could that be one of his family's ships?" Cat asked

The three men turned and watched Maria carefully.

"Yes I believe so, but how could I know that if that was his family's ship?"

"Oh that's right! During the ball he told us a ship of his father's went missing on its return to England," Lizzy replied.

"He must've told us when you were dozing off on his shoulder," Cat added, looking between Maria and Robin. Loveday quietly nodded her head, encouraging Cat to continue.

Sir Benjamin opened and closed his mouth. He looked annoyed, "uh—Maria, she was dozing off on a boy's shoulder?"

"Maria hadn't been sleeping. Nightmares. It was quite horrible for the poor thing. Maria, has that gotten better?" Jane jumped in trying to change the subject.

A look of concern flashed in Robin's face as he looked up to Maria.

Maria was stricken with embarrassment. She didn't want Robin to know of William.

"Maria who is this William?" Her uncle demanded.

Maria turned a deep shade of red.

"He's just a friend," Maria responded sheepishly as she looked down to her plate.

Loveday and Cat looked to one another. Loveday's wink was all the signal Cat needed to continue.

"Loveday you wouldn't believe how handsome he is," Cat gushed.

"Do tell Catalina, just how handsome is he?" Loveday pressed on. A mischievous smiled appeared on her lips as she looked between an annoyed husband and jealous brother. Robin clenched his fist around his fork and looked down to his plate.

"He has thick black hair, like Albert's, and the bluest eyes you've ever seen. He's very tall and is quiet fond of fencing, hunting, and Maria—ow!" Cat cried as Lizzy smacked Cat's shoulder.

"He's as fond as any friend is," Jane interrupted trying to help Maria.

"Well if you include all the boys madly in love with her then yes," Cat replied.

At this sir Benjamin turned even redder.

"But that's not what I mean Jane, Sebastian told me so himself. William wants to court Maria after they finish school," Cat continued.

Maria felt the room spin. She looked to Robin but she couldn't make out his thoughts. His head hung low and his curly hair shielded his face. Maria couldn't understand why she felt so guilty. After all, he made it perfectly clear he had gone ahead and spent time with other women. Maria took a hold of Jane's hand and squeezed it tightly. She wanted her mind to hold still. She wanted these feelings to go away.

Sir Benjamin pursed his mouth and furrowed his brow. He shot Loveday a glare to which she responded with a half-hearted smile. His niece was too young to be courted.

A chair scrapped against the floor and Robin stood up.

"I've finished dinner, thank you. I'll be outside with Albert." He said and walked out of the room carrying Albert. He kept his eyes down to the floor.

"Well today's going to be a peaceful night," muttered Coeur under his breath. Not only was Robin competing with the Harrisons in trade, but now possibly for love too.

Loveday bit her lip. This was not the family dinner she had envisioned.

After dinner, they all moved to the piano room where Lizzy and Cat played the piano and sang at the request of Ms. Heliotrope.

Loveday took Maria to the side and asked her, "Maria the sun will set soon, could you please grab Albert and bring him in? Also try to get Robin to come inside."

Maria tried to protest but Loveday pushed her to the door, "thank you Maria!"

Maria threw a loud breath and made her way outside. She was not going to let that arrogant bird boy get the best of her.

Outside her heart warmed at the sight. Robin was playing with Albert, laughing his heart out. It had been a long time she had heard his laugh or seen his smile.

Robin spun Albert in the air but stopped abruptly at the sight of Maria. Maria straightened herself out and wiped the goofy smile from her face.

"Loveday wants me to bring you two inside," Maria stammered.

Robin made his way to her. He gave Albert a raspberry on his cheek and handed him to Maria. For a second she thought she saw a flash of guilt pass through his eyes as he looked at her. He pulled away, his hand brushed over Maria's sending her heart into a jittery mess.

"You keep that up and he'll never learn how to kiss," Maria scolded. She snapped herself back to reality and gave Robin his hat back. "He gave Loveday a nasty bite."

"Good. He's a fighter." Robin stated. A small smile made its way to the corner of his mouth.

"Against what, love and affection?"

"Yes. Nothing good ever comes out of those feelings," Robin stated leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.

His statement stung Maria more than she'd like to admit.

"So this William, is he a good person?" Robin forced those words out of him. Obviously he didn't care if he was a good person. No one could ever be good enough for her.

"Um I believe so. He—he's a friend. I've known him for some time now. Though I'm not sure I can see him as more than that." Maria quickly added.

Robin looked to the ground.

Maria wished she knew what he was thinking. Maria shifted Albert to her other arm. He was getting heavy. She didn't know how much longer she could carry him. A voice inside her head told her to go back inside, but her heart didn't listen. They stood in silence.

"And you've been having nightmares?" Robin said breaking the silence. His voice was hoarse.

"Yes...um, since spring. But they've gotten much better."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Robin asked with a hint of frustration.

Maria rolled her eyes and bounced Albert on her hip. "You didn't let me, the night you found me, you were too busy with accusations!" Maria said feeling her blood boil. Now that she was well rested, she felt angrier with Robin for his treatment of her. Not only did he insult her and fail to defend her so long ago. But he never bothered to write to her, or even see how she was.

"And besides," Maria continued. "If you were confined to a building like a bird in a cage, you would try to escape too! So don't you dare judge me Robin De Noir. If anything, it was you who showed me to appreciate freedom and the outdoors! And before you say another word and make me hate you more than I already do, come inside. Loveday misses you, and clearly Albert doesn't see you as much as he'd like." Finished with her tirade, Maria marched back inside leaving a dumbfounded Robin.

Robin winced and ran his hand down his face.  _Bloody hell, what have I done?..._ He wondered if Marmaduke was right. Not once has he tried to explain to her his reasons. After all Charles was still a threat. Robin would never forgive himself if Charles hurt her. And then there was her uncle. He clearly did not want a love interest for Maria, much less one he thought so low of like Robin. Robin took off his hat and scratched his head as he followed her into the manor.

Loveday smiled brightly at the sight of Robin. Although Maria had an angry scowl, which told her and Cat things weren't patched up yet, at least Robin didn't run away again. This was progress.

"Robin, I—I do hate to bother. But would you please play us a song? It has been so long since we heard you play," Ms. Heliotrope said.

Loveday bit her lip to stop her smile from growing and eagerly nodded her head in agreement.

Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir watched Robin with confusion.

"I haven't played in a while... I'm not sure I can," Robin said. He was embarrassed and didn't like the amused looks he was given.

"Nonsense! Talent may get rusty, but it's never truly gone," Ms. Heliotrope urged him, looking between him and Maria.

Robin regretted coming back into the manor. He look about the room, looking for an escape when his eyes fell on Maria. She had devoted her full attention to Albert, though there was no mistaking the anger in her eyes. Then a mischievous glint appeared in his own.

"Alright, but on one condition. Maria plays with me."

"What no!" Maria shouted. The girls giggled. Cat and Jane tried to push Maria to her feet. Flustered she swatted them both away.

"Maria, that is not a polite response to a gentleman's request," Ms. Heliotrope scolded.

Maria glared at Robin's smug expression.

Sir Benjamin opened and closed his mouth at the scene. He knew what Loveday was doing, but to have Ms. Heliotrope join in on the scheming, well that was just preposterous! He felt betrayed.

"I'm taking care of Albert. I can't possibly play right now," Maria said squeezing Albert tight to her chest.

"Oh Maria you must be tired, give him here! I would love to help with him," Lizzy said bouncing to her feet and prying Albert from Maria's arms. Loveday got up to help too. Together, they managed to take Albert from Maria.

Albert had the silliest grin on his face. "Bobin!" He said reaching for Robin.

"Not now dear, Uncle Robin's going to play us some music with Maria," Loveday whispered to him. She kissed his cheek and placed him on Lizzy's lap.

Jane and Cat resumed trying to push and nudge Maria forwards. Ms. Heliotrope had her hand over her mouth. She was embarrassed by her pupil's behavior and worried if she had gone too far.

Mr. De Noir was amused. He appreciated nothing more than the flustered behavior of very "proper" Merryweathers.

"Oh alright then!" Maria snapped.

Robin mockingly bowed and gestured to the space next to him on the bench. Maria huffed and sat at the edge of the bench, wanting to keep as much distance as possible.

"Oh no princess, with your habit of falling that won't do you." Robin smirked and swiped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to him.

Sir Benjamin grunted very loudly. Robin quickly pulled his arm away with a sheepish grin and focused on the piano.

Maria was seething. To have someone like Robin jump from cold apathy to friendly gibberish was cruel. It was a mockery of her heart! She didn't understand him.

Robin began to play a few notes, much to the surprise of his father.

"Come on Princess, just one song," Robin pleaded under his breath. He words, sincere and urging, were drowned by the music to everyone else. "Then you can go back to hating me."

Maria sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine," she said. But she knew she could never truly hate him. "What song?"

"Just follow my lead."

Robin's hands moved along the keys playing a low melody. Soon Maria caught on to the pattern and began to intertwine whimsical notes into his own.

Lizzy bounced Albert on her knee and together they clapped along to the music. Cat mockingly bowed and dragged Jane up to dance. The two laughing girls spun in circles, Cat doing her best to lead and keep their bustle skirts from knocking down the furniture.

Sir Benjamin found the music surprisingly pleasing. After sharing a look with Loveday, he sighed and asked her to dance too.

Mr. De Noir and Ms. Heliotrope bounced along in their seats.

All this, Maria and Robin did not notice. They were two busy wrapped in their music. Maria soon found her side limited and looped her arm under Robin's to reach down his side of the keys. Robin smiled and dared move closer to her, inhaling her sweet perfume and wishing it could just be the two of them. He scoffed. It may never be just the two of them. He had done a good job of pushing her away. At least Charles wouldn't be a threat. And that William boy, he might make her happy.

Maria saw Robin's smile fade and become hard. She wondered if she had done something wrong. His playing slowed, and so did hers. Soon the song winded down to an end. Maria removed her arm from his and pulled away, conscious of their close distance. Robin placed his hat back on to his head, letting out a deep breath.

"Thank you for playing. You may now go back to hating me." Robin's voice broke as he whispered to Maria. He mustered a small forced smile. Maria tried to protest, but he stood before she could say anything.

"And here I thought you never attended your piano lessons!" Mr. De Noir said surprised. He had never heard his son play.

Robin shrugged his shoulders, "I have to get going. I just remembered I'm supposed to meet my friends."

Their audience clapped. Ms. Heliotrope had tears in her eyes.

Without looking at Maria, he left the room. Lizzy saw the sadness in his eyes. There was no mistaking how he felt for Maria. Lizzy only hoped Cat's plan had worked and that David would bring Robin along.

As Robin stepped out the manor, he ran. He ran as fast as he could, into the shelter of the forest he so dearly loved.

Marmaduke watched from his garden and shook his head. Well at least he had stayed for a while, that was progress.

* * *

"Alright you two, David and I promised a De Noir tour and that's what we're going to do," Richard said to his friends. It was late at night and they were in Robin's room.

Robin and Henry shook their heads. Robin would not risk being seen with Maria out on De Noir land, Charles may come after her. And well Henry… he would just rather stay away from Lizzy. He was so unsure of himself around her.

"Henry, you're coming. And I promised Robin would be there. So Robin, no more excuses," David said.

"Yeah you almost gave Mr. Havisham a heart attack when you agreed to your lessons without any trouble," Richard laughed.

"Who did you promise this too?" Robin asked.

"Catalina."

Henry raised his eyebrows.

"Well would you look at that boys, David fancies the chatty Cat," Richard teased.

David furrowed his brow, "lay off Richard. Don't call her that."

"I was mistaken. David doesn't fancy the chatty Cat, he's in love with her." The boys all laughed at Richard's conclusion.

David crossed his arms, 'damn bastards,' he muttered under his breath.

"Never thought I'd live to see the day when David falls in love. What was it?" Henry taunted. "Was it the way she wrapped her arm around yours? Or was it when she whispered into your ear? At least she didn't chat your ears off."

David groaned in frustration and clenched his fist, "Alright yeah, and so what of it? If I had half the chance with her I'd take it! I wouldn't be like you lot hiding away in the forest." David said pointing at Henry and Robin. "And I definitely wouldn't be like you feinting interest in other women! Yet here I am—a servant's son—what could she possibly want with me?"

Henry, Robin, and Richard looked to one another.

"We were just joking…" Richard said.

David scoffed. "That's how it always is with you rich folks, it's all a joke. Honestly. Robin, you're a bloody hunter. Why are you letting that damn prick of your cousin put the hunt on you? You should've seen the look he gave Maria today at the port. If someone looked at my girl the way Charles did I would've beat him to a pulp THREE YEARS AGO!"

Robin narrowed his eyes and looked away.

"Henry, you're the scariest one here, why are you so damn afraid of Cat's sister? And no Cat doesn't just talk to you to annoy you. She knows you fancy her sister. She wants to get to know you."

Henry gaped.

"And Richard, you honestly think you're going anywhere with Jane?"

Richard furrowed his brow and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh yeah I see the way you look at Jane. Show some respect for her!  
"Think what you want, but I don't want to hear it! Cat has her heart in the right place and her mind is working twice as much as all of yours combined. I'd be the luckiest man if she ever wanted anything to do with me."

The boys were speechless.

"I made a bloody promise. One that I intend to keep. So Robin either you come or I'll get Charles to knock you out for me. I know he'd be glad too," David said through clenched teeth. Robin had never seen him so angry. Even his old Merryweather hatred had never escalated to these levels.  
"Now I'm going home. I have to convince my sister not to marry the town fool. Says it's the only way she'll move up. Can you believe that? She would rather marry a damned drunk than her love just for stature? To hell with society! To hell with family! To hell with it all!" David stormed out the room and slammed the door behind him.

Henry let out a deep breath and Richard forced a laugh. Robin looked down at his scarf.

"Well he said he would defend his lady, and that he did," Henry said.

"Yeah never knew he had that much fight," Richard mused.

"It's how he's survived." Robin finished.


	17. A De Noir Tour and a Feverish Night

Dressed in her blue riding habit, and feathered hat, Cat made her way to the forest from the manor. There she found the worn-out path, now overgrown from its little use, and began her treck to the De Noir Castle. Lizzy and Jane were back at the manor keeping Maria busy. Cat was using directions Loveday gave her. One that went through the forest and another through the main rode.  
Though Loveday warned Cat to stay on the road, Cat was feeling adventurous and decided to go through the forest. Besides, the road took longer and she had Wrolf by her side. With him, she knew she would be perfectly safe.

Loveday instructed her to head northwest and stay on the path, it was about an hour's walk. At first, her walk was like any other. The woodland creatures rustled ahead of her. The bright sunlight overhead illuminated the forest floor and the cool summer breeze made her walk pleasant. She liked the cooler weather of Moonacre. In Spain, the summers could be hot and humid, making walks through the countryside for a corseted young lady difficult.

It wasn't until her path came across a dense area of the woods, that she began to reconsider her choice. Branches packed around her head and forced her to use her parasol as a shield. Bushes pushed against her bustled gown, raising her dress at odd angles. Cat fought hard to push her skirts back into place and continue forwards.

She was walking against a particular stubborn bush when Cat shrieked as her hem tore on the branches. It was one of her favorite dresses! The now torn fabric tangled itself on the brushwood.

"Oh no… no, no," she bent to free herself but only managed to make the tear bigger.

As she stood up, her hat got knocked off her head and a branch stuck into her hair. More tree limbs reached out and caught her hair. She pulled and tugged, trying to free herself. In twisting and turning, another set of branches wound themselves in her gown's lace.

 _Where do all these branches keep coming from?_  She asked herself. She tried to use her parasol as a sword and smack away the branches. The fabric of the parasol tore and got jammed between the branches. Next thing she knew, she was trapped, tangled in the trees and bushes with a black lion who could do no more than watch over her.

Cat groaned in exasperation,  _no wonder Maria wears those dresses_.

"Wrolf! You're a smart lion, go find me David, please!" Cat commanded.

Wrolf tilted his head back to her.

"He's the youngest of the gang, looks a bit like Robin, has curly hair too. About this high," Cat said trying to describe David to Wrolf. She realized how silly she looked, stuck in some trees and talking to a lion as if he could understand. But as if he did, Wrolf roared and went on his way. Cat hoped he understood.

David was sitting on the castle wall keeping watch. Loveday had sent him a message, warning him to expect Cat. She told him Cat was intent on traveling through the forest instead of the road. The boys were in the library meeting with Charles. Only Richard knew what he was up to and was making sure to keep Robin busy. They didn't want Robin finding an excuse to leave Moonacre for business.

He fidgeted with his hat. He didn't like the idea of Cat going through the forest. Even he who knew the forest got lost at times.

 _And with those dresses!_ David thought. He didn't understand why girls were so bent on wearing such clothes. Clearly they were not fit for the countryside, or anything for that matter! David's thoughts were interrupted as he saw a large looming black figure coming through the forest. He placed his hand on his knife. He readied himself to pounce down on it. Wrolf came running out of the forest and headed his way. He spotted David and roared before running back into the forest. David jumped off the wall and rolled his landing. He ran after Wrolf, hoping nothing was wrong with Cat.

David found Wrolf sitting in the distance. He heard some frustrated sounds from Wrolf's direction as he ran closer. Before him was Cat. She was held in place by the trees, and despite her predicament, gave David a bright smile.

"What are you doing there?" David asked, a large grin on his face. He was trying not to laugh.

"Oh you know, a proper lady as myself loves to ramble around bushes and get stuck in trees," Cat retorted, annoyed by his amusement.

"Hmm you do actually look nice there. Like a tree ornament of sorts," David responded.

"Very funny, please help me."

"If it's of any help, you got pretty far. Only about a few minutes more of foot travel and you would've been right at the castle."

Cat sighed. She wished she had made it to the castle. She wanted to see if it was as impressive as Maria described it.

"Blimey, how did you get in this mess? It's quite hilarious."

Cat scrunched her face. "What do you mean?"

"Well you know, here you are meddling in others affairs and getting tangled in their mess. And now, you're tangled in a tree. Seems fitting. Doesn't do much good though, does it?" David said laughing.

Cat rolled her eyes. "Lizzy has said the same thing. But you don't understand. Those two won't make amends on their own. Too prideful for their good."

"Trust me, I understand that pretty well," David said remembering his fight with Robin and the boys.

"Then you understand why I'm doing this. Besides its fun. And I really care for Maria. You would meddle if you cared too."

"I do care. It's why I'm here," he muttered before looking into her eyes.

Cat felt her cheeks warm and she smiled. "Well alright then, hurry up and release me so we can get on with our meddling," Cat said.

David and Cat worked to release her. First the parasol came lose then her skirts. The hardest part was her hair. David used his knife to cut away some branches.

"Cat the metal things in your hair, they seem to have a tight hold on the branches."

Cat slid her gloves off and began to remove her hair clips. She was growing frustrated, it took her all morning to do her hair. Now her curls cascaded down to her shoulders and David was able to pull the branches out of her hair.

"Free at last," David said with a smirk. "So why are you really here?"

"I came to visit my partner in crime."

David hated the sheepish grin that formed at her words.

"Any luck in getting Robin to join us for our infamous De Noir tour?" Cat asked

"He'll be there."

Cat squealed with delight and threw herself into a hug around David. Her curly hair tickled his neck and covered his face.

"Your hairs are going to poke me blind," David muttered through her hair. He shifted his weight and didn't know what to do with his hands. She smelled like roses, and he felt his ears burn.

Cat quickly pulled away, a shamed look on her face as she tried to pat down her hair. "Oh I'm so sorry, it's this hair. If only I had nice hair like Lizzy's—"

"Don't, I like it," David said placing a hand on hers. She was surprised by how rough they were. She took his hand into her own and inspected them. "Your hands, are they hurt?" Cat asked. There were scarred rope burns on his palms, surrounded by a few callouses.

David quickly pulled his hands away. "Erm uh no… it's from work."

"But the others, their hands aren't like this."

David bit his lip and looked away. "I.." David struggled with his words. He didn't want Cat to be embarrassed of him, he sighed and wished he would just disappear. "My mums a servant," David mumbled using his feet to knock on the trunk of a tree. "I used to be an errand boy and helped with the gardening or work the castle with the men. I did what I could to earn a bit more for my mum and sister."

"Oh…" Cat said. "Well then I like them too!" Cat said, she placed her hat on top of her head and slid her gloves back on. Ready to leave, she grabbed a hold of his hand. "And I will definitely need them to help me back to the manor. So lead the way!"

David looked at her with confusion and gingerly held her hand, expecting her to let go at any moment. But Cat had no desire to tear her dress anymore. She trusted David, she knew he had a better way back to the manor.

"When will the De Noir tour be?" Cat asked.

"We haven't decided yet. Figured it be best to let that be up to you."

"Well I overheard Loveday and Sir Benjamin talking, two days from now, they will be going over to London with Mr. De Noir for two days. Ms. Heliotrope and Digweed will be accompanying them. That might be your best shot."

David was in the lead clearing a path for Cat. He kicked sticks aside or stepped on the shrubbery to flatten it. "Why does it matter that they'll be gone?"

"Well if you want a full day without parental supervision," Cat said with a mischievous smile. "We will not be restricted with any curfew of sorts."

David was silent, they hadn't actually planned a tour yet. He would have to figure something out with Richard.

"Alright."

* * *

"Maria how does your ceiling work?" Cat asked. She was laying across her bed staring off into the twinkling stars that decorated the ceiling. Cat noticed they had changed location through their stay, as if mimicking the real night stars above them.

"Yes I've been wondering that too," Lizzy said. "Actually I've been wondering something else, when we saw Charles, you said something about a curse—"

"That it's been 3 years since the curse was broken to be exact," added Jane

"Yes what did you mean by that? And the ceiling, I've heard rumors of moving pictures, but this—it's far too advance."

Maria pursed her lips and closed the book she was reading. It was one about a young women who dressed as a man to help her father win a war. Also sent by her mysterious mailer.

"Well..." thought Maria. Her mind raced looking for an excuse. "We used to refer to Merryweather- De Noir feud as a curse. It was a curse because it wasn't the first time it stopped a De Noir and Merryweather from being together—"

"Oh like you and Robin?"

"No. This is different." Maria stated.

"Maria dear, we're about to be off to London. Are you certain you girl's don't want to come with us?" Ms. Heliotrope called through the door.

"We'll be right out Ms. Heliotrope! Just a moment," Maria responded.

The girls found Ms. Heliotrope waiting by the small door. They walked with her down to the main doors where Digweed and Sir Benjamin were loading the luggage while Loveday held Albert. Maria told them they still wanted to stay in Moonacre. After all, they spent most of their time in London going to school, they were happy to be away from the large city.

"Now girls, do be safe. And be sure to stick together," Loveday said with a knowing wink.

All but Maria giggled in response. Maria wasn't sure what was going on.

"This is serious. Remember, Marmaduke will still be here to help you with your day. But should anything else happen, go to the De Noir castle," Sir Benjamin said giving Maria a stern look. He and Ms. Heliotrope were not happy about leaving the girls all alone. But Loveday assured them they were all responsible and the castle was close enough should they need any help.

They bid them farewell and the girls made their way back to Maria's room. They still had a full day ahead of them to do as they wish.

* * *

"Shh keep quiet!" Richard waved them down.

It was a warm night and the boys were making their way out of the forest. They only had a couple of hours before sunrise and needed to hurry. They headed towards the manor now in view. Despite the sleepy silence surrounding it, the manor looked as majestic as ever.

It was David's idea to begin their tour that morning since the adults would not be around. Robin wondered how he got that information.

Richard ushered Robin to the front, only he knew the direction. Robin grumbled to himself and began to lead the boys around the manor to Maria's tower.

"This is it, now what?" Robin asked gesturing up towards the balcony.

* * *

"Maria, Maria!" Jane shook her awake. Her eyes were wide with fright. "Do you hear that?"

Maria struggled to open her eyes. They were heavy and wanted to go to back to sleep. Out the window, she could see the sky was still dark. The girls had spent the day exploring the forest by the manor. They had followed Serena to her burrow, and Wrolf to his favorite lounging spot. It was on top of a boulder by a small stream. Their last stop was Loveday's old hideaway. The girls could not believe a refined and beautiful lady such as Loveday had spent years living alone in the forest. That night, exhausted from their fun, they fell asleep together on Maria's large bed under her magical stars.

Maria looked around her. Cat and Lizzy were still asleep. She strained her ears but heard nothing.

Maria shook her head.

"No listen there it is again!" Jane whispered.

A feint thump and low grunting came from out of the window. Followed by a slight scraping sound against her tower.

Maria shook Cat and Lizzy awake and urged them to stay quiet as she pointed to the window.

Maria got up and quietly tip-toed to her desk. She lifted two candelabra and handed one to Jane. Cat readied herself with a pillow and boot. Lizzy grabbed Maria's large Moonacre book.

The shuffling grew closer. The girls grouped together. Out the balcony doors, the girls couldn't see much. It was dark, and only a crescent moon was in sight. The thumping grew louder. The vines that decorated the balcony began to tremble. A hand grabbed on to the edge. Maria tightened her hold on the brass candelabrum and the girls hid behind the balcony doors, two on either side. They braced themselves.

The hand pulled itself up and a dark shadow jumped on to the balcony. He was followed by another. They walked to the door and one raised a fist to knock.  
Maria and Jane pushed against the doors and knocked them down. Cat tossed her boot at the head of one of them. The flying boot hit him square in the face. The girls released a battle cry as they pummeled the figures with brass, a pillow, and book.

"Maria—Maria, stop!" Cried one.

"Ahh not the face!" Shouted the other one.

"David?" Cat asked recognizing one of the voices. "Girls, stop please!" She held her hands against the girls, pushing them back from the defenseless boys on the ground.

"Bloody hell, what did you girls hit us with? That hurt!" David stood and helped his partner to his feet, it was Richard.

"You ladies pack a punch," Richard said fixing his jacket.

"Well we can't be expected to sit around and wait for our Prince Charming," Jane retorted.

"Especially when it's your Prince Charming you're attacking," Richard said with a wink. Jane took Cat's pillow and smacked Richard in the face.

"What are you two doing here? And at this hour?" Maria demanded to know.

"It's obvious isn't it? For the tour!" Richard responded.

"And your hats?" She asked them.

"Oh they fell when we were climbing up, Robin and Henry have them down below."

Maria froze at the mention of Robin. Lizzy rushed over to the edge of the balcony and sure enough they were down there. She could make out two silhouettes down below.

"They're down there alright," Lizzy said.

"This—This is ridiculous. It's too early," Maria stammered.

David and Richard shrugged their shoulders. "We need to be there by sunrise… It was the latest we could do."

Before Maria could continue protesting, Cat herded her back to her room. "Give us a few minutes boys, well meet you all by the front door."

"Wait how do we get down?" Called Richard behind the girls.

"Same way you came up!" Jane said with a smirk. She closed the doors and shut the curtains.

The girls changed into their simplest frocks, short sleeved empire waist dresses. Maria pulled over one of her Moonacre dresses. It was dark green long-sleeved velvet gown with gold trim. They all braided each other's hair and left their bonnets behind.

"Lead the way boys, we'll be right behind!" Cat announced as they came around the corner.

Richard and David took the lead. They held lanterns that led the way and were followed by the girls. Henry and Robin remained in the back. Robin couldn't take his eyes off Maria.

It was silent walk. Maria huddled between Jane and Lizzy, wrapping one arm into each of theirs. Beyond the light of the lantern, the forest was pitch black. Maria wondered how the boys could navigate in this darkness. She heard rustling of leaves, and the cool summer night air blew past them. Maria felt out of place. It was strange to be in the forest with Robin, but not actually be with him. Maria looked back to Robin. He looked down to his feet, avoiding her gaze.

The sound of waves broke the silence. The girls looked to one another, excitement on their faces. The crackling of a fire soon followed.

"And here we are, today's destination," David said.

The forest came to an end at a sandy beach. Above them, the stars shone brightly and surrounded a smiling moon. A bonfire sat up ahead burning away with a woodpile nearby and a large basket.

"We figured it was going to be cold until the sun rises, so we set this up before getting you girls," Robin said breaking his silence and looking to Maria.

Maria managed a smiled and was pulled by Cat towards the bonfire. There they sat on logs set around the pit.

Maria had never been to this beach before. The tide was beginning to pull back, and unlike the beach at the cliffs, the waves were smaller here. Maria took of her boots and shivered as her toes sunk into to the cold and damp sand. She stood and made her way to the water. She wanted to feel the waves at her feet.

Her friends watched her leave. Cat waved Robin's attention over to her. "Robin!" She yelled in a whisper. "Go to her!"

Robin looked to his friends, Henry just shrugged his shoulders but Richard pushed him to his feet. "Go, I think it's time we all listened to David."

Maria reached the edge of the shore. The sun's rays were beginning to break. Maria gasped and curled her toes as the cold water washed past her ankles. Her body yearned for the fire's warmth, but she did not want to leave.

Robin walked up behind Maria. She had her arms wrapped around herself and was shivering. Without a second thought Robin took off his leather jacket and placed it over Maria's shoulders.

"You're cold," he said.

Maria jumped and stepped away from Robin. "No, no I'm perfectly fine!" She began to take off his jacket when Robin stepped forwards and placed a hand over her shoulder.

"Don't, you might get sick."

Maria could hear her friends' laughter over by the fire, she was sure Richard was telling them another story. The sun was beginning to rise and she was able to make out Robin's form. He stood facing her with his hands in his pockets. His bowler hat was in its place, and his feathered scarf was wrapped snug around his neck. His eyes only looked to her.

"It's beautiful here," Maria said.

"It's the best place to watch the sunrise." Robin didn't take his eyes off her. He wanted to memorize every detail of her face. From the roundness of her eyes to her angled cheeks and tiny nose. He wanted to grab every detail, in case he had to go long without seeing her again.

"Well if someone had kept his promise maybe I wouldn't have had to wait so long to see this," Maria snapped crossing her arms. "Why are you even here? You're 20 now right? Aren't the rest of us too young and annoying for you?"

Robin was stumped. He hadn't expected to have this conversation so early on. Robin took off his hat and ran his hand through his hair, thinking of his words carefully. Her time in London was painful to him. He missed their summer adventures more than he could have ever imagined. With every day that passed it meant one less day with Maria. A thought he hated. Robin had hoped to tell her these things. But as he looked at her, he noticed the sadness masked by her anger in her eyes. He had been a coward. And he hurt her. And now, there were others competing for her heart.

Robin sighed.  
"Maria, I regretted those words the moment I said them. You meant so much to me. When it came time to defend that friendship, I coward."

Maria's eyes began to water. She was so angry. Try as she might to stop the tears, she couldn't. One hot tear after the other fell. And all she could do was angrily glare at Robin.

"You let me go Robin! You didn't write, you didn't do anything! Do you know how alone I was during my holidays?"

Robin turned his gaze to the ocean. He couldn't bear to see Maria like that.  
"I'm sorry."

"You are so infuriating Robin De Noir! One second, you treat me as if I'm the worst thing to have happened to Moonacre, and the next you're playing piano or handing me your jacket! I don't understand you!  
"You never bothered to visit on my birthdays, or even send a small note. You ignored me, or avoided me all together. And the worst part," Maria said throwing her hands into the air, "I can't hate you. No matter how much I try."

"I'm sorry. I was a coward, I know! I didn't believe I could protect you from Charles. I thought pushing you away was the best thing to do—"

"Well it wasn't! It was plain foolish. You were my best friend. One of my only friends. That was the most idiotic thing you could've done!" Maria choked on her last words and wiped away her tears.  
"I missed you so much. And you didn't have a care in the world for me." Maria broke down crying. She hated herself at that moment. She felt like a little girl again. She had promised to stay strong. She wouldn't break and show Robin how much he hurt her. She promised she would ignore him. Yet here she was with him, out on the beach, crying her eyes out.

Suddenly she found herself in a warm embrace, the familiar scent of pine and earth surrounded her. She cried into his shoulders.

"That's not true Maria. Not a day went by that I didn't think of you. I'm so sorry," Robin whispered in her ear.

"I hate you Robin. I hate you so much." She said in between sobs.

Robin tightened his hold on her. When her crying slowed to a stop, he said "I thought you said you couldn't hate me?"

Maria could hear the smirk in his words. "Shut it bird brain."

He smiled. Robin then raised her chin and wiped away her tears.  
"You can hate me as much as you want. I deserve it. But I promise, I will give you no more reason to hate me." She still had an angry scowl, and her tear streaks were just visible in the rising sunlight.

His face was close to hers, causing her cheeks to burn.

"I promise," Robin said with sincerity in his eyes. He searched hers, watching her anger subside.

Maria had her hands on his chest. He was cold and she could feel his beating heart. Her heart too was beating rapidly, but she wasn't sure if it was out of anger or other feelings long gone unnoticed.

"And don't you ever carry me like a sack of potatoes again!" Maria scolded.

"That princess, I cannot promise," Robin said, a glint of mischief settled on his eyes. "Especially if I ever do finally kidnap you!"

Robin grabbed her by her waist and tossed her over his shoulder. Maria screamed. Robin began running along the beach kicking up the ocean water.

"Robin put me down you oaf!" Maria demanded pounding his back.

Robin laughed and continued running down the beach. He wasn't sure where he was going, he just wanted to hold her for as long as possible. Then his feet got tangled in some seaweed and he fell with Maria into the cold ocean. Maria cried as a wave washed over them, drenching them from head to toe.

"You-complete-and-utter-oaf!" Maria yelled smacking Robin in the chest with every word. Her teeth began to chatter.

Robin still could do no more than laugh. Maria got up to leave to the bonfire when Robin grabbed her hand and pulled her back, "Stay with me."

Maria sneezed. "We're going to be get sick!" She stammered through clattering teeth. She grabbed Robin's hand and pulled him to his feet.

Robin's thin shirt clung to his chest, sending icy chills to his heart. He shivered and had to agree with Maria. If they stayed in the water any longer, they were bound to catch a cold. Together they made their way back to the bonfire just in time to see the rising sun.

At the bonfire, the girls shared looks between them at the sight of Robin and Maria. Though they were no longer holding hands, the smile that rested on their faces was enough to know. Richard was about to remark something when David elbowed his ribs.  
The sun broke through the night and chased away the last bit of darkness. Maria and Robin sat by the fire, letting its warmth dry their clothes and hearts.

Henry brought over the basket and revealed some pastries stored inside. Together, they all ate as they watched the sun fully rise. It was beautiful. The entire ocean glistened from the light as far as the horizon. Sea gulls woke and took off from the cliffs searching for food. In the forest, the chirping of birds broke the silence.

With the sun up in the sky, they were all more willing to go into the water. David and Richard brought two small row boats from the forest and taught the girls how to paddle and fish. Jane, who loved to swim, jumped into the water and was soon followed by Maria and Robin. Together, they continued teaching Maria how to swim, though due to the heaviness of their gowns, quickly got exhausted.

Tired from their swim, the boys then took them to the De Noir castle. They girls, who had imagined some fairytale castle, were shocked at how imposing it stood above the hill. It was certainly impressive, but surrounded by the spiked fortress walls, leather clad men, and the black and red flags, it seemed more befitting for the villains of a story.  
Inside, Robin took them to Loveday's old room before going to get himself cleaned up. He had a bath set for them and a bunch of Loveday's old dresses for them to change into. Cat chose a deep burgundy dress, Lizzy a lilac one, Jane a pink one, and Maria chose a dark blue dress. With these dresses, they blended with the castle and no longer received the strange looks. Clean and feeling refreshed, they met the boys in the great hall.

For lunch they were served mutton and grilled fish alongside a baked potato. Though it was not Marmaduke's cooking, it was still delicious and filling. The girls were entertained by the friendly banter and jokes thrown between Robin and Richard. Henry too began to talk more with Maria's friends, even getting into a debate with Lizzy regarding trade tariffs and taxes.

The last stop of their tour was in the small forest clearing where Robin and his friends liked to hang out. They had set another bonfire to keep themselves warm. Richard brought two bottles of drink, one of wine and the other of gin. Though the girls loved wine, they had never had gin before. Maria thought it was too bitter.

As the sun was setting, Wrolf appeared out of the forest with a small basket tied to his back. It was filled with treats and pastries from Marmaduke.  
Merry from the drink, the boys sang songs from the sea and were soon joined by the girls. Cat and Richard interlinked their hands into one another and skipped in circles. Gathering some courage, David joined Cat on the other side leaving Robin and Henry to continue the singing.

By then end of the night the boys escorted the girls back to their home. It was late and the doors, were locked. Maria figured Marmaduke had gone off to bed.

She searched under the steps and beneath rocks for the spare key, all under the confused glances of her friends.

"You won't be finding that key anywhere," Robin said finally speaking up

"What do you mean?" Maria asked and tossed a rock over her shoulder.

"Well since Loveday's a good lock picker, Sir Benjamin figured there was no point in one."

Maria frowned, she would hate to wake Marmaduke up.

"Ladies, and gentlemen, leave that up to me!" Jane quipped with a hiccup. She marched around the manor. Confused, the group followed her along.

At the edge of Maria's tower, Jane hitched her dress and tied her gown into a knot around her knees. Richard let out a giggle before being smacked in the face by Cat. His cheeks turned red and he muttered "she has lovely knees."

Like a nimble squirrel, Jane grabbed a hold of the vines and began to scale the tower. Within a minute she jumped to the balcony yelling 'Tada!'

"Blimey," Richard muttered under his breath.

"I'll meet you all at the front door!" Jane yelled and disappeared into the room.

Once certain the girls were safe in their home, the boys left back to the castle, disturbing the forest with their singing along the way.

The girls had never had as much fun as they did that day.

* * *

When Maria's family came back from their trip to London, they were pleasantly surprised to find the girls all sitting by the piano room reading and playing some music. Marmaduke reassured a worried Sir Benjamin that nothing out of the ordinary happened and the girls had been on their best behavior.  
That night, Mr. De Noir stayed for supper, and all were surprised when Robin and his friends joined them too. Loveday was beaming with happiness, it seemed Cat's plan had worked, and just in time for Ms. Heliotrope's wedding which was in a few days.

The next day, the girls worked hard to ready the manor. Though it was a small wedding, there was much to do since the De Noir castle and its inhabitants had been invited.

Marmaduke was off in the kitchen readying the feast. Sir Benjamin and Digweed were out furnishing their soon-to-be home. Loveday was with Ms. Heliotrope sewing her wedding dress. And the girls were in the gardens setting the tables and decorations.

"Ms. Heliotrope, we have finished, may we have the rest of the day off?" Maria asked.

"Yes, yes of course my dear. Thank you all so much," Ms. Heliotrope said.

Maria gathered her friends and Wrolf and began to lead them to the forest.

"Maria, where are we going today?" Asked Lizzy.

"To one of my favorite places."

Maria led them to the first Moon Princess' dwelling. She hadn't been back since her incident with Robin, but she couldn't wait any longer to show her friends.

They arrived to the large twisted tree that stood above the cavern. Crouching down below, she led them down to the dwelling.

"Maria, this is amazing!" Cat said.

"How did you find this place?" Asked Jane.

"Oh is this the place where you had your first encounter with Robin this summer?" Asked Lizzy.

"Yes, I found it with his help. Come follow me," Maria said as she pushed open the wooden door and led them into the circular room.

Maria gave them a few minutes for them to explore the room. She went to the horses head and pulled on the lever, opening the door way to the tunnels. The girls gasped in surprise.  
"This room leads to some secret passageways that run all through Moonacre. I have yet to explore them all, but maybe you can help me," Maria said as she picked up her pouch of stones from her bed and a lantern from the cavern's wall. She lit the lantern and led the way down the stone tunnel.

Maria was happy to see Robin's stones still in place. They would certainly help her with finding her way back.  
They walked for a while, following the stones. Maria first wanted to take them to the amphitheater.

"Maria, when was the last time you were in these tunnels?" Asked Lizzy.

"A while, almost about 3 years."

"How interesting, there are some tracks here. Could anyone else have come here?" Lizzy said tracing the tracks with her finger.

There were a set of boot prints that headed towards the direction they just came from. "When Robin found me, he said he had been at the amphitheater over at dinner. These tracks heading to the dwelling, they must be from him."

"But these other ones?" Asked Jane. There were marks that appeared alongside Robin's, these went off into another direction. Maria studied them, they were hard to make out. Robin had tried teaching Maria how to track but she couldn't figure out what animal could have made these.

"I don't believe these are footprints," Maria murmured.

"Hmm looks as if something was dragged actually," Cat said. "See this here? They're the same marks our dresses made on the sand when we were on the beach a couple of days ago.

"Maria, they go off in this direction, and look a set of footprints appear here too! Actually there's many prints, heading into that passage there," Jane said. She had gone as far as the lanterns light reached.

There were three entrances that led from the tunnel. Only one of them had the strange track marks. The dust on the floor was disturbed, but there was no way Maria could tell for how long.

"Could Maybelle have been here?" Asked Cat.

"That would certainly explain the strange dragging marks. And possibly the boots could be Charles' or his friends'," Lizzy responded.

"I doubt it. No one knows of these tunnels, except for maybe Robin and Loveday," Maria said.

"If it's them, they could be up to something," Jane said crossing her arms.

"I say we investigate it!" Cat said. She began to march in that direction.

"Cat hold on! I don't have many stones, we can only go as far as they go!" Maria said.

The girls agreed to turn back when they ran out and began to follow the tracks. The tunnel became narrower, and there was no draft that blew through here. Maria was sure it would lead to a dead end, she just hoped no one would be at the end when they got there.

The path winded around a few corners before opening up into a cavern. At the other side, the path continued, dividing into two tunnels. Maria was running out of stones, and a gut feeling told her not to continue. It was eerily silent. The still air carried a feint stench that seemed to come out of one of the tunnels.

"I think we should head back," Maria whispered. There was a slight tremble in her voice. She remembered long ago when she first came into the tunnels with Robin. Her fear of dangerous creatures hiding within its many trails. "I'm running out of stones."

Cat had gone to the edge of the cavern. She found two bulges wrapped up in thick tarp. She kicked at one of them. The bulge rolled and released a gut wrenching stench. She kicked at it again and the roll came undone, releasing a blue bulging body. Cat screamed.

Maria and the girls ran over to Cat. She had covered her mouth in fear. The body's swollen eyes were lifeless and stared off into the ceiling. It was shirtless, revealing a long tear from his navel to his throat. It was emitting a horrible rotting stench.

"Girls, let's get out of here," Maria said. Maria and the girls turned to head out but Cat stayed. Frozen in fear. "Cat lets go!"

A low raspy growl came out from one of the tunnels. The sound was familiar to her. The growl grew louder. Maria grabbed Cat by the hand and pulled her back to the entrance.

A hooded figure glided out from the tunnel. Red eyes stared straight to Maria. It shrieked and quickened its pace towards them.

"Get out!" Maria screamed.

The girls yelled and ran back into the trail.

The creature began to scream unknown words. The girls were thrown in to the air. They began to fly towards the creature. Maria and the girls tried grasping the tunnel walls. Maria screamed out in pain as her fingers dug into the stone, grasping for anything to stop her. The creature's shrill cry got louder and Maria recognized the taloned hands that seemed to be casting the spell. It was the monster from her nightmares!  
Thinking quick Maria tossed the lamp at the creature. Its hood caught on fire and it released a piercing cry that left a ringing in their ears. The girls fell from the air.

"RUN!" Maria screamed.

"Maria," Lizzy said out of breath, "we can't run in these dresses."

"You must!" Maria yelled back.

Jane and Lizzy held hands and formed a chain with Cat and Maria.

"Breathe up not out!" Instructed Jane. "Expand your lungs upwards not to the side!" She clarified at their bewildered looks.

Maria led the girls through the tunnels. The screams of the monster echoed throughout. Soon they left the light of the fire and Maria had to run in the darkness. She was running out of breath. She could hear her friends gasping for air.

Maria's hand hit against stone and she collided with a wall, hitting her face and chest hard. Her head spun, she felt a throbbing pain on her forehead where she made impact.

Maria patted the stone, "This can't be! The dwelling, it's locked itself!"

The girls began banging on the stone, their hands hurting with pain. "Wrolf! Wrolf! Help us!" They yelled.

Wrolf's roar came from the other side. "Wrolf! Wrolf please! Go get help!"

"Maria, were trapped!" Cat cried, tears forming in her eyes. Her face was flushed red. She struggled to catch her breath. From far ahead the creature's screaming was growing closer.

Maria closed her eyes and prayed. She prayed to God. She prayed to Mother Nature. They needed their help to escape.

A horse's call broke through her thoughts. She opened her eyes and came face to face with her white unicorn. It turned and galloped down the path.

"Hold hands girls I know where to go!" Maria pulled her chain of friends along and ran after the unicorn. Her heart beat rapidly, and she thanked the heavens for their help.

"Maria," Cat wheezed. "I can't run for much longer."

"Cat, you must. Please!" Maria begged. She was running out of breath too. They passed by the monster's tunnel just as it reached the entrance. It shrieked and lashed out, tearing through Jane's dress.

Jane cried out in pain. She was sure it had cut through to her waist.

Unlike Maria, they couldn't see where they were going. They felt like they were endlessly running in the dark. Breathing became harder. Their chest burned. Their lungs began to cramp, sending sharp pains across their torso.  
Jane was doing her best to cope with the pain at her side. She felt her blood seeping through her dress. She was putting her full trust in Maria.  
Cat however, wanted to double in pain and Lizzy was feeling nauseous.

"Maria! It's right behind us!" Jane yelled.

"Hurry!" Maria called back.

The unicorn led them down another path, through another tunnel that twisted and turned. Cat hit her head against one corner. She screamed out in pain and felt warm liquid drip from her temple down to her cheek. Lizzy stumbled and was about to fall but Jane pulled her up by her hand, sending a sharp pain to her shoulder.

"Maria, I can't," Cat gasped. She stumbled, and was falling behind. Her head spun. She was losing all sense and direction.

"Oh no, Cat you must!" Lizzy said. She used her shoulder to push Cat forwards.

"We're almost there!" Maria said, she could see light seeping through the edges of a stone wall up ahead. Reaching the wall, the unicorn stopped and place a hoof on the door opening it for them.

Maria picked up her pace and pulled Cat and her friends with her.

The monster, weakened from the fire, began to trail behind. It tried to cast another spell but could do no more than pull at Jane' dress. It screamed in frustration.

Maria ran and pushed to the end. The unicorn disappeared as they crossed the threshold and into blinding light. The stone wall closed behind them. Cat and Lizzy stumbled and fell to the ground, panting hard and gasping for air.

The monster screamed at the other side and began pounding on the stone. It mustered all its strength and yelled unknown words, causing the room they were in to shake.

"We have to get out of here," Jane panted. She was red, and beads of sweat rolled down her face. Her side was covered in blood. Maria removed her hem and used it to wrap around Jane's side.

Cats eyes rolled to the back of her head and she feinted. One side of her face was covered in blood. Maria used the rest of her hem to wrap around Cat's forehead.

Maria recognized where they were in, it was Loveday's dwelling. She searched through her cabinets and found a knife. Maria turned Cat to her stomach and cut through her corset. Cat gasped and threw in a large breath. Maria did the same to Lizzie and Jane.

The room began to shake once more. Cracks formed on the stone wall that kept the creature back.

Cat, though heavily breathing, was still unconscious. Lizzy was coughing, and ran to the corner to throw up.

"We have to get going, Jane help me."

Jane removed Cat's bodice. Maria threw one of Cat's arm over her shoulder and Jane helped Maria with the other one.

"Lizzy come!" Maria commanded.

Lizzy faintly nodded her head and wiped her mouth before removing her bodice as well.

Maria and Jane dragged Cat outside and began to run through the forest towards the manor.

Once more the earth below them shook and branches fell down around them. Maria felt a sharp pain on her side as a branch snapped and hit her face. Her legs began to protest. The girls dresses snagged on the fallen branches.

Up ahead Wrolf released a loud roar. He bolted towards them followed by galloping stallions. It was Robin and his friends. They were shocked to find the girls in a mess. What was left of their torn gowns was covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. Maria's hair had come undone and her face was a deep red. Jane was pale, and her side revealed a bleeding wound. Cat was bleeding from her temple, her hair damped with blood and was slumped unconscious over the girls shoulders. Lizzy was a sickly green and struggled to breath.

"Robin, help us, Cat's feinted!" Maria yelled.

Robin and David jumped from their horse and helped Cat up on top of Robin's horse.

"Maria! Are you ok? What happened?" Robin asked holding Maria's face in his hands.

"I'm fine just get us out of here!" Maria cried.

Henry grabbed Lizzy's arm and helped her onto his horse. Richard dismounted and carefully lifted Jane onto his own while David helped Maria jump onto his. She just managed to grab ahold of David when the earth trembled once more.

Trees began to fall around them. A low rumbling came from the dwelling followed by an ear piercing cry. The horses cried out in fright and began to stand on their hind legs.

"We must go now!" Maria shouted.

Robin held on to Cat and snapped his heels into his horse. His stallion sprinted forwards behind Wrolf. The rest of the gang followed. Maria dug her face into David's back, wishing none of this was real. Her head pounded. She felt like feinting, but forced her breathing to become steady. She couldn't black out. Not now. Her friends needed her.

Arriving at the manor, Maria jumped off the horse and opened the gates for the boys to enter. She helped Robin carry Cat inside and rushed her to her bedroom.

Maria was relieved they didn't run into Ms. Heliotrope or Loveday. She didn't want them to panic.

The group came in after them.

"Maria what happened?" David asked rushing to Cat's side.

"Lizzy, Jane, you girls should change before Ms. Heliotrope sees you. She'll have a fit."

They nodded and left Cat's room to change.

"I'll be back, watch her," Maria said.

She went to the kitchen and grabbed a pitcher of water and some cups as well as a rag. On her way back, she picked up Ms. Heliotrope's medical kit from the bathroom.

Back in the room, Maria dampened the rag and placed it over Cat's head. She used some of Ms. Heliotrope's scented rocks and waved them under Cat's nose. She explained to the boys what happened.

"That doesn't make any sense," Robin said. "No one's been there in ages!"

"Apparently something has, a monster just tried to kill us. And that's not the strangest part, the monster, I've dreamt of it before. It had these large talons. It tore through Jane's dress with one easy swipe."

The girls had come back and eagerly drank some water.  
Cat began to regain conscious, her eyes fluttered open. Maria and David helped her sit up and gave her some water. She took a large gulp. She felt as if she had just drowned.

"Maria what was that thing? And what did it do to us?" Cat whimpered.

Maria shook her head. She could still here the monster's screams.

"How did you all find us?" Lizzy asked. Her color was coming back to her face.

"Wrolf found us," Henry responded. "We were in the great hall. He scared the life out of the people and guards when he barged in."

Lizzy smiled, "thank you for coming. We wouldn't have been able to bring Cat back."

"Maria we have to tell Loveday," Robin said.

"No! Ms. Heliotrope's wedding is in a few days. If we tell them they'll cancel everything."

"But if we don't others may get hurt!" Robin retorted.

"We'll be safe, we're far from the tunnels," Maria stated crossing her arms.

"Loveday used the tunnels to get to your very room! What's to say the monster won't come here?" Robin snapped.

Maria paled. Robin was right. Somewhere through those tunnels, there was one that led right to her tower.

"I can wait a few days. After the wedding we'll tell them everything."

Robin narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist. "Fine."

That night, Maria and Cat watched over a feverish Jane. Her wound, which was only a surface wound and less than an inch long, refused to heal and had swelled up. Maria for once was grateful for their thick gowns. It was the only protection against the talons they had. She could only imagine how much worst Jane would be had the cut been bigger. They lied to Ms. Heliotrope and Loveday, they said she had gone out for a swim and caught a bad fever. Lizzy spent her night in the library, searching for any information regarding the strange creature.

Robin and his friends walked out of the forest, each equipped with their knife, a sword, and pistol. They looked to one another and nodded in understanding. They separated, each going to a different side surrounding the manor. Robin scaled up a tree and hid among its leaves. He readied himself for a long night. His friends had each claimed a tree of their own from which they hid as well. If Maria was going to insist on keeping quiet, then they would just watch over her home and make sure she and her friends and family were safe.


	18. An Antidote for Some Truths

"Morning," Robin and his friends mumbled as they entered the great hall.

"You're all up early," Mr. De Noir said. The sun had just started to rise. He looked up from his parchment and studied them. His hawk told him the boys had spent the night by the Merryweather Manor. He hoped he wouldn't hear any complaints from Sir Benjamin.

Dulac and Charles were sitting next to Mr. De Noir. They nodded their heads in greeting.

The De Noir gang slumped down on the table. The feint outline of dark circles was beginning to form underneath their eyes. Robin's scarf was loosely wrapped around his neck, small leaves and twigs stuck out of it. Henry had a light scruff growing around his face, his eyes looked more sunken in than usual. Richard's hair was a mess, his usual charming smile was replaced by a glum frown. David had a drool stain in the corner of his mouth, and held his shoulder. His cheek was bruised and covered in scrapes.  
During their watch, David dozed off and fell out of his tree. As he fell through the air, he woke up screaming, hitting the ground with a loud thud. The fall hadn't been too bad, but it did give Cat quite the fright. Her night was restless. Every attempt to close her eyes only brought images of the monster and the dead. When she heard the scream, so close to the manor, she jumped out of bed and ran all the way to the library where Lizzy was busy studying. There she spent the night trying to sleep on the couch.  
The boys did no more than laugh. Especially Richard, who had the pleasure of helping David up.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you lot look like you didn't slept at all last night," Charles remarked. He was eating a biscuit and reading from his book.

Mr. De Noir shook his head.

Robin narrowed his eyes. He grabbed the jar of milk and poured himself a glass. Glaring at Charles the entire time. Daring him to say anything more. Recently, Charles had been more snarky and full of retorts. He complained about all the things he had to do. Even going so far as to suggest one of Robin's friends do it.  
Robin was sure it was because he had resumed his friendship with Maria.

"Robin please," Coeur sighed. He was getting older. For the first time in his life, he just wanted some peace in this castle. He wondered how he was ever able to hold his grudge against the Merryweather's for so long.

* * *

"Maria, Maria wake up! I have something to show you," Lizzy said as she shook Maria awake. Besides her, Jane stirred in her sleep.  
Jane was stable now and no longer burning with a fever. Though her wound was still red and swollen.

Maria mumbled some words. The bright sunlight from the window stung her eyes. She wasn't sure what time it was.

Lizzy stood in front of her, wearing her robe over her night dress. Cat sleepily swayed side to side behind Lizzy. Her robe hung off her shoulder. Her long and curly mop of hair fell over her face, masking her bandaged head and tired eyes.

Lizzy pointed to a few old books on the night stand. "I spent last night searching through the library. All I found were these few books. I'm actually surprised there's not a bigger collection. Especially one regarding medicine. Jane could really use that…"

"Well I don't think sensible society likes to fill their libraries with those books," Cat mumbled through her yawn. "You all do remember Ms. Watson's reaction to Maria simply having a fairytale." Cat moved to sit at the foot of Jane's bed and leaned against the bed post.

Maria sighed. She wasn't surprised at all. She was sure her uncle got rid of most books regarding magic. But Mr. De Noir, he spent years hunting for the pearls and the Merryweather downfall. He might have what they need.

"I suppose I can't imagine Sir Benjamin spending a Sunday afternoon reading books on curses," Lizzy said with a small laugh. "But I found something interesting. A small book about legends of Moonacre. And Maria, there was a small section about a story, very similar to the one in your book. It described it as if it had been a very real thing."

Maria's eyes shot open.  _Of course! I wonder if the monster is now in the book… I have to tell them the truth!_

"Ms. Maria," Digweed interrupted her thoughts as he poked his head through the door. "You have visitors."

 _At this hour?_ Maria groaned and rubbed her eyes. Grabbing her robe, she said,"can you bring them here Digweed? We're a bit busy at the moment."

Digweed nodded his head and returned a few minutes later with Robin and his friends.

The De Noir gang were no longer in their leathers or bowler hats. They were dressed in breaches and coats. Richards's worried eyes immediately fell on Jane who was still fast asleep.

"Robin! Is everything alright? You didn't go back to Loveday's dwelling did you?" Maria asked her eyes darting over David's injuries.

"No don't worry. We just had a rough night," Robin said with a smile. "We actually came to see how you all were doing."

"David, what happened to your face?" Cat asked rising to her feet. The sudden movement left her unsteady and wobbly. A line of pain shot from her wound to the back of her head. David rushed to her side and helped her sit back down on the bed.

"Don't worry about me. Running an errand, took a bit of a fall but I'm alright," David said reassuring Cat.

"How's she doing?" Richard managed to whisper.

"She's better. Though her wound refuses to heal! I'm sure there was something in that creature's claws," Lizzy said.

Richard frowned. He walked over to the other side of Jane's bed and kneeled beside her.

Jane stirred in her sleep and mumbled some incoherent words. She threw her hand over her pale face, trying to block the sunlight.

"Mornin' sleeping beauty," Richard teased. "Wake up. Your prince charming's here."

Jane's lips broke into a small smile as she scoffed. She sleepily reached around her head.

"Jane, do you need something?" Cat asked.

"A pillow," she muttered, "so I can smack that cocky grin off Richard's face." Richard broke into a laugh.

"Good to know she still has her wits," Henry said.

Maria and Lizzy helped her sit up. "What brings you all here at this hour?" She asked.

"We're off to London for the day. We wanted to see how you all were doing before we left," Robin said.

"Didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, you might miss me too much," Richard added, mockingly batting his eyelashes.

Jane rolled her eyes, "I would've been fine."

"Well I would've been better," Cat muttered sticking her finger into her mouth, feinting disgust. The rest laughed in agreement.

"I just wish I knew what creature did this! Then we could all be fine," Lizzy said. "I spent all night in the library and didn't find much."

"Ey Henry. Didn't Luke go through something like this?" David asked.

Henry smacked himself in the face. "Of course!" Henry told the girls about what happened to Luke. His description matched that of the monster.

"But why did it appear so suddenly?" Maria asked.

"And what does it want? I doubt there's ever been anything of value or any sort of food in those caves," Lizzy questioned. Maria and Robin looked to one another.

"I don't know…" muttered Henry.

Robin snapped his finger, "the old lady! Maria could I talk to you outside for a moment."

Maria carefully nodded her head and followed Robin out of the room. She closed the door behind her.

"What do you mean by 'the old lady'? And what happened to David?"

"Er, he fell out of a tree…" Robin trailed off.

"What was he doing up a tree?"

"Just scouting the area, don't worry about it. What's wrong with Jane though? This isn't normal. If she doesn't recover soon we will have to tell your family—"

"No we can't!"

"Maria the wedding is in a couple of days! You don't have much time. Her wound can get worst," Robin said, his voice beginning to rise.

"I'll figure out a way. I mean the girls still don't even know about Moonacre—"

"They don't know?" Robin asked incredulously.

"Oh yes Robin, like I was about to introduce myself as the Moon Princess who saved Moonacre from a crashing moon."

Robin raised his hands in defeat. He never realized how ridiculous it would sound to an outsider.

"Walk with me, I need to get my book."

The two hurried over to Maria's room.

Crossing her small door she called out, "I was also wondering if I could visit your library?"

Robin raised an eyebrow and followed her in. "Yes, its all yours, but why?" He said scanning the room. It had been a while since he last was there. The room was unchanged, except for a few dresses scattered around the floor.

"I think your father might have more books on magic and curses. I need to know what this monster is and how to defeat it."

Robin turned to the wall and placed his forehead against it. "Ugh she warned me!" He groaned to himself.

"What are you talking about, the old lady?"

"I met her on my first trip to France. I could swear she was a witch or something. Said something about a danger coming over sea—can't really remember," Robin answered feeling frustrated with himself.

"Why did she tell you this? And why would danger be coming here?" Maria called from under the bed.

Robin let out a long sigh. "It's your pearls. She said Moonacre's curse was supposed to break with the reunion of the two families, not your jump. Your jump broke other curses as well."

"But—but the pearls, they're in the ocean!" Maria said, popping her head up next to the bed. "And that still doesn't explain the sudden appearance of the creature. How did it get here?"

Robin shrugged his shoulders. All he could do was watch as Maria searched around in circles, muttering to herself.

"The shipwreck!" Maria said. "You said this lady was in France and she knew of the creature. It must be the same one Luke faced. It must have come across the sea through William's ships. But what in the world were they doing with that monster?"

Robin rolled his eyes at the mention of William. "Well they're coming tomorrow to gather what's left. That's something you should ask him." There was no mistaking the growl in his voice.

"Before the wedding?" Maria pursed her lips.

"It was the fastest they could do. Just how close are you two?" He asked.

Maria darted her eyes back to her room, avoiding his questioning stare and feeling her cheeks burn. "He's just a friend. William's part of the group of boys we hang out with—"

"The ones you see when you skip school?"

"I—uh yes."

A sharp silence fell between them. She began to feel indignation at having to deal with Robin guilting her.

"Honestly Robin I don't see why you care who I hang out with," Maria remarked continuing her search. "After all you made it clear you are quite experienced in the intimate company of women. All I have done is dance with him," Maria huffed.

Robin scrunched his face in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Maria truned a scarlet shade of red. Was he really going to have her repeat what happened? "Don't play innocent Robin De Noir! That day you 'found me' when you helped me with my corset! You said you had a lot of ' _experience',"_ Maria responded with a mocking tone.

Robin's eyes widened and he doubled over in laughter.

Maria felt he was making fun of her. She narrowed her eyes.  _Oh this insufferable boy!_

"Maria, when have you known Loevday to be patient?" He barely managed to say between his laughter.

"What does Loveday have to do with this—"

"Just answer my question. When has Loveday been patient?"

Maria glared at Robin and crossed her arms. "She's not the patient type."

"Who do you think had to help her get dressed when the maids were too busy?"

Maria's eyes widened, "oh.." she mouthed.

Robin laughed and unbuttoned his collar. "There's the root of my experience. In fact, the day of her wedding, because I was still tying her corset and completing other stupid errands, I couldn't even greet you at the door."

Maria slowly nodded her head, "Well you're a good brother then."

A smug smile formed at his lips and he shrugged his shoulders, "I know."

Before letting Robin see her smile, Maria turned her head and resumed her search. Robin decided to look around her desk and night stand.

"Aha!" Maria called out. She found her book stuffed deep inside her wardrobe. "We should get going. We've been gone for a while."

Robin nodded his head and followed her back to Jane's room. Before Maria could open the door, Robin placed a hand on it, blocking Maria's path.

"Maria," Robin said with a sigh, "If you go to the castle, please don't go through the forest. Please take Wrolf with you. Hell, take everyone with you."

"Don't worry about me I'll be fine," Maria said looking away.

"Maria, please. I won't be here to help you."

Maria sighed. "Oh alright, fine. I'll take Lizzy and Wrolf with me. But I can't make promises about taking anyone else."

"So long as its not William…" Robin mumbled.

"What?—"

"Nothing," Robin quickly answered and followed Maria back into Jane's room.

That morning, Maria confessed to the girls the truth about Moonacre. They of course couldn't believe it at first. To prove her point, Maria opened the book to the last few pages. There, in vibrant colors and what looked to be fresh paint, the new pages were filled with illustrations of the girl's almost deadly adventure. She stopped at the image of the monster. Its red eyes glowed beneath the darkness of its robe's. Its talons gleamed under the firelight. They shuddered at the image, thankful to have escaped.

"I'm sorry for not telling you all earlier. I would've never brought you here if I knew it would be dangerous."

"Don't worry. We wouldn't have believed you," Lizzy said with a laugh.

Cat took the book and flipped to the page where they were all together, escaping on horseback. "We make quite the dashing and brave heroes don't we?" Cat teased.

"More like reckless…" Jane said under her breath and grimacing as her wound shot a line of pain down to her thigh.

* * *

After lunch, and with permission from her family, Lizzy and Maria rode on horseback to the De Noir castle. Maria was on Periwinkle, and Lizzy borrowed Loveday's horse, Primrose. Wrolf was right at their feet, running alongside the horses. He was tense, his full mane stood on its ends, making him appear larger.

As they rode besides the forest Maria couldn't help but notice its unusual silence. Her mind played tricks on her. A few times she swore she saw figures lurking in its shadow. At any sound, Wrolf emitted a low growl, warning all danger to stay away.

Lizzy was tense. She had a hard time concentrating. Even the formidable castle seemed more welcoming than the forest.

They found a company of carriages and wagons stationed by the gates and greeted the guards as they rode by. The girls dismounted and left their horses along with Wrolf at the stable.

Maria and Lizzy headed straight for Mr. De Noir's office and were let in by a guard. Mr. De Noir was busy with a gentleman and a lady.

"Maria good to see you! Though Robin's not here today," Mr. De Noir greeted.

"Yes we know, he stopped by this morning. I was actually hoping we could use your library. Lizzy and I are in search for books on Moonacre's history."

"Er—Yes, of course. Go right on ahead. Did you say you saw Robin this morning?"

"Uh yes, he stopped by to say good bye…" Maria awkwardly mumbled looking over Mr. De Noir's guest.

The lady was studying her closely.

"Interesting… well you'll find a large log book listing my books by the fireplace," Mr. De Noir said. "Excuse my lack of introduction, Maria Merryweaher, Lisabetta Thomas, this is Mr. and Mrs. Harrison,"

Maria gapped in surprise. Robin must have just missed them

"Pleasure meeting you both," The girls said and curtsied to the couple.

"No the pleasure is all ours," Mr. Harrison responded. "For some reason, I can't shake the feeling that I've heard your name before," He said to Maria.

"There are plenty of Maria's in the world," Maria forced a laugh. "I'm sure you're confusing me. We'll leave you all to your business. Our condolences for the loss of your ship and sailors," Maria quickly bowed and left the room, pulling Lizzy behind her.

The girls arrived to a large wooden oak door. One door had a black rooster carved into it, the other a black lion that resembled Wrolf.

The circular room was dimly lit by a row of windows up above. The musty smell of old books was strong. In the center of the room was a large table with stacks and rolls of parchment. Surrounding the table was a couch, two armchairs, and smaller wooden chairs. Three burning lamps sat atop the table.

Books aligned the wall as far up to the ceiling where another window stood high above. Maria was sure this was once a watch tower. An iron stairway winded up to the window along the wall, it was the only way to reach the books up high.

Lizzy let out a long breath, "after all you told us, how did you manage to make peace with the De Noirs so easily?"

"Robin helped. He was my friend after all."

"No wonder you were so upset with him. I'm sorry for pushing you two together again. We didn't know,"

"Don't apologize. It was time we made amends. And what better time than with the threat of a monster."

Lizzy laughed. "Alright, where do we begin?"

Maria went to the fireplace. There were papers filled with charts listing merchandise and other trading information. She was sure she found one made up entirely of Robin's writing. Maria inspected it carefully, she never thought Robin to be the type for paperwork.

"I'm sure they're all a lot smarter than we give them credit for," Lizzy mused, a slight mocking tone in her voice.

"Especially Henry? It's why you find him interesting, right?"

Lizzy gawked. "No! Why do you ask? Does it look like I do? Do you think he thinks so?"

Maria laughed, "Lizzy calm down, we can't have another sister fainting on us. Besides, I'm sure he finds you as intriguing as you do him."

"Who's this Henry may I ask?" A voice called from up above. The voice came from a figure accompanied by another person. As they passed by the window, the girls gasped.

"Bast? William?" Maria asked.

"Strange running into you both here," William responded.

"Is Cat here too?" Bast asked searching the room.

"No she's back in Maria's home with Jane," Lizzy responded.

William took Maria's hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. Maria blushed. Try as she might to pull her eyes away from William's, she couldn't. She found them too captivating and full of life, so unlike Robin's.

Lizzy awkwardly shifted her weight. "Um I'm going to have a look around."

"I'll help you!" Bast said. The two scampered away to the books, Lizzy intent on succeeding with her search.

"William, how have you been," Maria said breaking the tension.

He flashed her a large smile and placed his arm around her shoulder, leading her to the couch.

"I've been great! Touring the country with my parents. Bast's staying with me for the summer."

"What are you two even doing here?"

"Well, I was with my parents when we heard the unfortunate news of the shipwreck," William said looking away. "I decided to come with them, see it for myself and figure out all that I can."

"Are you certain you didn't just come to study the competition?" Maria asked, eyeing the table full of documents. She hoped no important business matter was on those sheets.

William laughed. "No no. To tell you the truth, when I heard it was in Moonacre, I remembered that's where you came from. I was actually hoping to meet with you here."

Maria hated the smile that forced its way onto her lips.

"What brings you to this bleak castle? A fine lady as yourself certainly doesn't fit in here well."

"What do you mean? I find this castle perfectly suitable," Maria said defensively.

William raised an eyebrow. "Almost sounds like you're planning on making this your home."

"N—no, no!" Maria stuttered turning red as her thoughts flew to Robin. "My uncle, his wife is Mr. De Noir's daughter. We're family friends. It's practically my second home," Maria lied. In fact, she had been to the castle so little times, she could barely consider herself a frequent visitor.  
"Lizzy and I needed to use their library."

"Friend with the competition, I'm heartbroken," William said shaking his head.

"I have no place in this competitive business and will make friends with whoever I please—"

"So long as I can secure your friendship, I will have to accept that."

"Maria!" Lizzy called up from above. She had reached the second level. "I could really use your help."

"Don't mind us, we'll go back with my parents. We're heading down to the crash site. I hope to see you again!" William waived Bast over and they left the library together.

"He sure is fond of you," Lizzy said once they were alone. "If you had to choose one, who would you choose?"

"Oh shut it," Maria said brushing away her question. She honestly did not want to consider it.

They spent all afternoon locked in the library. To their luck, they found a lot of information about poisonous talons and remedies. Lizzy was incredibly excited when she found a book covering the ancestral history of Moonacre, both magical and non-magical.

"Maria, we should really get going," Jane said casting a worried look out the window. The sun was beginning to set.

Maria nodded her head. She did not want to ride alongside the forest at night. Stuffing their notes into their bags, the girls put the books away and went to the great hall to say their good byes.

"Maria it's too late for you girls to go out on your own," Mr. De Noir said. "I think it would be best if you spent the night here."

"Thank you for the hospitality, but we should really get going," Maria said, her thoughts on getting the remedy to Jane as quickly as possible. "My uncle's expecting us, and you know how he gets."

Coeur rolled his eyes and nodded his head.

"We can escort them," William offered.

"Nonsense! William it'll be too late for you to return!" Mrs. Harrison scolded.

"Mother we'll be fine," William brushed her off.

"They could also spend the night at the manor, I'm sure my uncle won't mind," Maria offered.

Maria thought she saw Mrs. Harrison roll her eyes.

"It's all settled then!" Bast said.

The four made their way to the manor under the setting sun. The boys were still tense from having a large black lion walk alongside them. Bast jokingly remarked the Wrolf would have been more than enough protection for the girls.

Despite the company, Maria and Lizzy were worried and hurried their ride. Any sound from the forest sent Maria's heart racing. She shuddered at the thought of the monster lurking in the dark of the forest. She wished Robin was with her. Up above Coeur's hawk circled the sky, watching over them.

Relief washed over Maria as they arrived to the manor and handed the horses to Digweed. He was surprised by the two unexpected guests, quickly making up his mind these boys were from the city.

"This is quite an impressive home," Bast remarked, his eyes taking in every detail of the manor.

"Thank you, it's been in the family for ages. Do you two want to come in?"

"Yes!" The boys responded. Wrolf happily bounded into the manor.

Maria heard chatter from the dining room and decided to begin her introduction there. She found her family sitting around the table with Jane and Cat. Cat was bouncing Albert on her lap while Loveday told them a story about Moonacre. Now that they knew the truth about Moonacre's history, Cat and Jane spent all of dinner asking Loveday to tell them more. A wish Loveday more than happily fulfilled.

As the group walked into the door, Sir Benjamin's face fell. He closed his mouth and studied the newcomers. Cats eyes fell on Bast. She let out a small yelp and turned bright red, causing Albert to giggle.

"Glad to see you decided to join us, Maria. It's late," Sir Benjamin scolded

"Maria dear, you must be home before sunset. You had us worried," Ms. Heliotrope added.

"I'm sorry, we got consumed with our studies," Maria said offering a small smile. "This is Sebastian Watson, our headmistress' son, and William Harrison. The Harrison family is here to pick up what remains of their ship."

Loveday's eyes widen and she bit her lip to stop the large smile from forming. Sir Benjamin tensed, now knowing the identity of the boy who was so 'fond' of his niece.

"Do please take a seat and join us for supper," Loveday said gesturing to the tables. "It's great to finally meet you! Have you by any chance met my younger brother, Robin?" Loveday questioned.

Maria threw a warning glare at Loveday. Sir Benjamin looked ready to burst as he poured himself another glass of wine. Loveday was back to her old games.

"No, we just missed him. We were supposed to arrive tomorrow. But when we heard of a wedding happening, we decided to come as early as possible and not get in the way."

"How very considerate of you," Sir Benjamin sarcastically murmured causing Loveday to smack his thigh under the table.

Ms. Heliotrope looked around the table. "Oh heavens, don't feel the need to rush because of me. If your family is still here, they are more than welcome to join us," Ms. Heliotrope said. She liked William. He certainly looked to be a proper gentleman.

Ms. Heliotrope pointedly ignored Sir Benjamin's indignant look. Once again, he was betrayed by her.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to tell me parents when we get back to the castle tonight."

"This late? No no, you two must spend the night here," Loveday said.

Sir Benjamin choked on his drink and stared at Loveday in bewilderment.

"Thank you for the offer, but the ride looked easy enough," William added noticing Sir Benjamin's visible glower.

"That is a mistake many make! These lands are dangerous for those who don't know its landscape. You will spend the night here and you can leave anytime tomorrow morning once the sun rises." Loveday ended her point so matter-of-factly there was no arguing any further.

Finishing their dinner, the company moved to the piano room where Lizzy and Cat played them some songs. Loveday disappeared momentarily to put Albert to sleep. Maria snuck her way out to the kitchen and knocked on Marmaduke's door.

"Come in!"

Maria entered the room and was immediately engulfed by the delicious smells of marinated meet, steaming vegetables, a roasting fire place, and freshly baked goods.

"Ahh Maria! To what pleasure do I have your visit tonight?"

"I was hoping you could tell me where to find these ingredients," Maria placing her list of ingredients on the table.

 _POP._  Marmaduke popped out of the air beside her and studied the list carefully. He placed a finger on his chin and watched Maria closely. "This here is a list of ingredients for a generic, and not very potent, antidote. An antidote meant to treat magical wounds. What happened?"

"Um-we had an accident in the forest. Jane's having a hard time recovering. We think there was some venom in her wound."

Marmaduke shook his head, not believing a word she said. He knew the forest, there were very little venomous things in Moonacre. "Would this have anything to do with the sudden stillness that has befallen my beloved Moonacre?"

Maria sighed. "Possibly…"

"Maria, lucky for you and your friends, I know of a much better antidote consisting of ingredients found all over my garden. Come back at midnight, and I'll show you how to prepare it. But in return I expect you to tell me the truth- do we have ourselves a deal?"

Maria nodded her head.

"Fantastic!" Marmaduke said and popped out of sight as his cooking continued all on its own.

Maria walked back to the piano room and her eye caught sight of the large wooden doors. She opened them and took in a breath of fresh air. Though there was no moon in sight, the stars glimmered brightly up in the dark sky. Maria studied the constellations, able to recognize them now on her own. After one more year, she would be back in Moonacre, for good.  _That is if the monster doesn't ruin anything._ A soft breeze blew Maria's loose curls about her. Were a passerby to see her, they would see an ethereal slim girl with fiery red hair floating around her face, watching over her land from the doors of her palace. Maria studied the forest beyond the gates, and for the first time felt angry. Moonacre was her home, the forest was her place of solitude.  _How dare that creature come here and threaten our lives._

A rustling up ahead broke Maria's thoughts. She grabbed a poker from the fireplace, picked up her skirts, and ran out to the garden. Her heart beating at her ears. She listened closely.  _There!_ The rusting came beyond the gardens, at the edge of the forest. She took off running, charging with her poker ahead.

As she got to the edge of the forest, the rustling stopped. A crow squawked and flew out of a tree. Maria, focused and ready, marched into the forest. With her poker held out in defense, she circled around her. Her anger fed her adrenaline and determination. She was not going to let whatever thing lurking in the forest hurt her, or her friends any longer.

The silence was deafening. She wished she could stop her beating heart. She wished she could silence her breathing and blend into the stillness of the forest. In that second she made up her mind to have Robin teach her all he knew about stealth and defense.

For a few moments all stood still. Waiting.

The feint starlight cascaded through the canopy. Still Maria could see nothing. She lowered her poker in defeat. She hated to admit that part of herself felt relieved. Disappointed, she began to walk back to the manor. Her family would have definitely noticed her absence by now.

 _Swish._ The air broke behind her and a black figure landed crouched by her feet. Maria's heart dropped. Grasping the handle, she turned, yelling as she swung her poker in defense. It cut through the figure's arm. The sound of tearing fabric broke the stillness. Maria shuffled her feet and stood on guard. Ready to strike again.

"Maria STOP! It's me!" Robin yelled out cradling his arm.

"Robin? What in God's name are you doing here? And up on a tree?" Maria asked. She dropped her poker and ran to him. His arm was bleeding. The poker had tore through his leather jacket.

Three other figures fell from the sky, it was the rest of his friends.

"Have you all been spying on us?" Maria asked her voice rising.

"No that's not it," Richard said with a laugh. "Told you Robin. She and her friends are pretty capable of defending themselves."

"Today we witnessed the near destruction of Robin De Noir with a fire poker," Henry joked.

Robin rolled his eyes and wrapped his scarf around his arm. His cut was beginning to sting. Fortunately it wasn't deep nor big.

"We were worried about you all," David said.

"Since you wouldn't tell your family about the creature we decided to keep watch over your manor until we thought it was safe," Robin added.

Maria shook her head now making sense of David's injury and the group's tired look.

"I don't care what Lizzy says, you're all a bunch of reckless idiots." Henry's face lit at the indirect compliment. "This is just absolutely ridiculous! Sleeping up on an tree? I could've killed you!" Maria yelled.

Robin scoffed. "Like I'd go down that easily."

Maria grabbed a hold of Robin's arm causing him to yelp in pain. She hurried to the manor and picked up her poker on the way. She wanted to get home as quickly as possible and tend to his wound.  _Just what we need, more injured people._ "Next time you go sneaking about the forest, don't jump and scare people with pointy sticks!" Maria scolded, feeling guilty for Robin's state.

Inside she led the boys to the piano room.

"Do you have visitors?" Robin asked, his ears picking up some unknown voices.

Maria paled. "Robin, don't be uncivilized or rash. When I was at your castle earlier… The Harrisons had already arrived. William and his friend escorted Jane and I back home."

Robin's face hardened. "Oh. So because I'm from the country I'm uncivilized, eh? Then let's get on with this." Robin marched up ahead, pulling Maria with him.

Henry and David shook their head. Richard stifled his laughter.

Maria quietly stepped into the room, her arm still around Robin's. Sir Benjamin sighed in exasperation at the sight of Robin and his friends.

"Well if it isn't Robin De Noir!" Bast cried rising to his feet.

It took Robin a moment to recognize him. Bast was much taller, and his sandy hair was longer. It framed his freckled cheeks and boyish grin, the only qualities that still remained recognizable.

"Bast?" Robin asked, a smile formed on his face.

Maria looked between the two, confused as to how they knew each other.

Bast's eyes fell on Maria and made the connection. "So, it was Maria after all?" He said with a laugh. Robin felt his ears burn. "Robin I want to introduce you to my good friend William. I think you know of his family, they're in the same business."

Robin recognized William as the one who tried to kiss Maria the night of the ball. Noticing Maria's watchful stare, Robin swallowed his anger and forced a small smile. They acknowledge each other with a short and reluctant nod. Robin introduced his own friends to Bast and William, skipping over how he came to meet Bast.

"Robin! What happened to your arm?" Loveday asked rushing over. Blood soaked through his jacket.

"It was my fault Loveday. I heard some movement in the gardens. I took a poker to chase it away and instead attacked Robin."

Sir Benjamin bit his cheek to stop his smile. "Well this certainly isn't a time for visiting," Sir Benjamin remarked under his breath.

"Sorry we just wanted to see how Jane was doing. It was my idea," Richard said coming to his defense. "She seems to be doing well now, we'll be on our way." The boys bowed and turned to leave.

"Nonsense at this hour! The indignity," Ms. Heliotrope called out. She did not want the young men running around the forest at this hour, especially with Robin's wound.

"Ms. Heliotrope is right. And you're injured. We have plenty of rooms for everyone." Loveday said, shooting a warning glare to her already sulking husband.

Sir Benjamin looked away and poured himself another cup of wine,  _am I to house every potential suitor for Maria?_  He wasn't fond of either Robin or William. Besides, his niece was still too young to be courted.

"William already took your room Robin. Maria go get him cleaned up and we'll find him a room afterwards," Loveday directed.

That night after cleaning up Robin's wound and setting up a room for him, Lizzy and Maria snuck down to the kitchen.  
Marmaduke was ready with the ingredients. On top of the fireplace sat a small cauldron with boiling water.

"Right on time!" Marmaduke chimed.

Lizzy watched mesmerized as Marmaduke magically popped around the kitchen preparing the wedding's meal and ingredients for the antidote. "Is he human?" Lizzy whispered.

"No I believe not," Maria laughed.

On the table there was a bright red spiked fish, two blue flowers, 3 black seed pods, and a clear flask of golden liquid.

"Now girls, to prepare this antidote, you must be very careful. One way to counter act this magical toxin, is to use another toxin that works against it. But the dosage must be carefully calculated."

The girls watch Marmaduke carefully slice the fish open and remove a bright red small pouch beneath its spine. "This here is the toxin for this fish. Though poisonous if not prepared correctly, other countries treat this as a delicacy. I myself have never been fond of risking lives for the sake of food…" Marmaduke went on explaining the importance of every ingredient. He grinded them together in a small bowl and set them to cook in the boiling pot. The liquid that spilled from the cauldron caused the fire to turn green.

"Quite fascinating isn't it? Though I'm perfectly happy not making antidotes ever again, it is an experience!"

Throughout the preparation Lizzy took long and detailed notes. She decided to spend her summers in Moonacre and investigate all that she could about magic. Her search made her realize how old and outdated the books were. She was determined to change that.

As they waited for the antidote to finish, Marmaduke told them stories of the magic that once filled Moonacre and the various creatures that decorated the landscape.

"What happened to them all?" Lizzy asked.

"Greed and pride," Maria responded, remembering the Old Parson's words.

"Exactly, which is why I must thank you Lizzy. If it weren't for you or your friends, Master Robin and Maria would still be at odds. All know this Valley can't handle another curse."

Lizzy laughed and Maria elbowed her in the ribs.

"Now, in return, you girls must tell me what happened."

The girls sighed and Maria told him the truth. Including the part about Luke's own experience.

Marmaduke removed his cone-shaped hat and scratched his head. Concerned crossed his face. He had never heard of such creature. "Well, this certainly is serious. Maria you must not go into the forest until this creature is taken care of!  
I believe its journey has made it weak. Had it been fully recovered, none of you may have made it out alive!" Marmaduke shook his head. If he didn't think of something, he would have to tell Sir Benjamin and Loveday. "And with a wedding in a few days, timing couldn't be much worst! We must let no one into the forest. I will design an excuse."

The antidote began to boil and small green bubbles floated into the air, filling the room with a horrible aroma of medicine and fish.

"The potion, its ready!"

Marmaduke filled a large glass flask with it. There would be plenty of leftovers, should it be needed.

Thanking him profoundly, the girls ran to Jane's room. Cat was curled beside her, both fast asleep.

They woke them up and Jane moved her night dress out of the way, exposing her wound. It was now a dull red. Yellow and white liquid formed at the base of it. As Marmaduke instructed, they placed four drops on the cut. Jane bit her blanket to stop herself from screaming and tears formed in her eyes.

All but Maria began to panic as the wound steamed. The smell of burning flesh filled the room. As if by magic the skin began to heal, coming together and closing until all that was left was a small jagged scar along her hip.

Jane relaxed, beads of sweat fell from her temple. "It's gone. I don't feel the pain anymore!"

"It worked!" Maria squealed and she hugged Lizzy.

The girls returned to their room. As Maria walked by Robin's room, she stopped and stared at his door. She raised her fist, ready to knock on it and tell him the good news. She scoffed at her own thoughts and lowered her arm,  _no that would be indecent._

Arriving to her room, Maria stared at her secret door that led to the tunnels. She rolled up her sleeves and pushed her wardrobe in front of the trap door. Then she dragged over her drawer and desk, creating a blockade. She was not going to be a sitting duck.

As she climbed into her bed, her eyes couldn't pull away from the pile of furniture. Fear rose to her heart. For the first time, she didn't feel safe. Not even in her own room.

Her eyes then fell on the antidote. At least now, they were better prepared.


	19. A Disturbing Night of Disturbances

The sound of smashing furniture woke Maria with a start. Her room began to shake. Screams came from outside her door. Maria jumped out of her bed and ran to her door. She twisted and turned the handle, but the door wouldn't open. Using all her force, she pushed against it with her shoulder. The door didn't budge. Albert's cries came from the other side. Maria banged her fists on the door, "Albert I'm coming!"

Her wardrobe exploded, revealing the secret entrance. Shards of wood flew around Maria, cutting her bare arms. The monster emerged from the rummage. It spotted Maria and screamed. An unknown force tossed Maria to her bed. She was lifted to the air, stopping mere inches from the roof. Below her the creature circled about her, whispering an incantation. Maria's muscles stiffened. She tried calling for help, but no sound came out. She couldn't move, she couldn't do anything.

"Maria!" Robin yelled as he broke down her door.

Robin ran towards her but the creature stepped in between them. The debris flying about the room whizzed to a halt. Time seemed to slow down. The creature reached out its claws and shot a pale green light straight through Robin's heart. His body crumpled. He fell slowly to the ground. His face etched with pain, he looked to Maria as the light slowly left his eyes.

"ROBIN!" Maria screamed as she felt herself smash back down to the ground. She tried to reach for him grasping at the air around her. She fell through her bed, straight into blistering cold water. Coldness pierced her skin. Water forced its way up her nose. She continued sinking, an invisible force dragged her further down. She kicked and pulled. Air escaped from her lungs. They burnt with pain. Suddenly she hit the ocean floor. Excruciating pain flew through her body as she felt her bones break from the impact. Darkness engulfed her. The last thing she saw were the pearls, glowing along the ocean floor.

"Maria! Maria! Please wake up!" Lizzy yelled vigorously shaking Maria by her shoulders.

Maria's eyes shot open. They were red and filled with tears. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. Maria was shaking and gasping for air. She looked about her room. The pile of furniture was still in place. Her friends and family, they were all around her. At the foot of her bed stood Robin. He was alive. His face strained with concern. He was shirtless, and Maria sighed with relief at seeing his torso whole and complete. Ms. Heliotrope furiously fanned at Maria with her scented handkerchief. Loveday held Albert, trying to comfort his cries. Sir Benjamin searched around the room, wondering what could have given his niece such a nightmare.

Cat and Jane were kneeling on the floor next to Lizzy. Maria realized she was squeezing Jane's hand. The boys stood behind Robin, carefully apprehending her. William's face was a mixture of fear and confusion.

At seeing them all alive and well, Maria broke down sobbing.

"Maria, what happened?" Loveday asked rushing to her side. She pulled Maria into her arms.

"Loveday, it was horrible. Everyone was dead!" Maria cried through her tears.

Loveday shushed her, "no it was just a dream, Maria. We're all alive and well. No one's in danger."

Maria shook her head. They were all in danger, and she didn't know how to save them!  _I couldn't even protect my friends!_ Maria thought as she looked to Jane. Maria loosened her grip on Jane's hand, letting her blood flow to her fingers.

"This was worse than before," Cat said with a frown.

"Excuse me, tea for the moon princess coming through," Marmaduke broke through the crowd carrying a tea kettle and some cookies.  
"Maria drink this, it will help you sleep through the night."

Maria nodded her head and took a large gulp from her cup of tea.

Albert rubbed away the tears from his eyes and reached over to Maria. He placed a slobbery kiss on her cheek. Maria giggled through her tears. She took Albert from Loveday's arms and squeezed him tightly, planting kisses all over his face. Albert laughed with delight. "You sweet, sweet, boy, I will never let anything happen to you." Maria cooed.

Sir Benjamin cleared his throat. "Now, that this is all settled, I suggest you all go to your rooms," He said surveying the crowed of faces. "We have a long day ahead of us, and Maria needs some rest.  
"Erm, Maria, why is your furniture piled along the wall."

Maria gulped down more of her tea, feeling its warmth go down her throat. "Well you see, I wanted to practice my dancing. I haven't danced in so long." Though she tried to sound reassuring, her voice broke.

Sir Benjamin took a deep breath and nodded his head, "well then, nothing to be done. Everyone, off to bed!"

Maria watched her friends and family leave. Her eyes lingered on Robin. He turned to tell her something but Sir Benjamin grunted and pointed to the door. He did not want any boy in Maria's room.

She looked around her now silent and dark room. For some reason, she couldn't help but shake the feeling her dream had meant something more. She crawled out of bed and grabbed her notebook. She scribbled down her dream, wanting to capture every horrible detail. Before going back to bed, she pushed her chair against the blockade, as an added measure.

Maria laid in bed staring up at her ceiling. She couldn't sleep. She didn't want to go back to sleep.

* * *

Lizzy resigned herself to another sleepless night. They needed more information. She slipped on her robe and stepped onto the cold tile floor. Grabbing her bag of notes, she quietly snuck out of her room.

She found a burning lamp inside the library. "Strange…" she muttered to herself. There was a new pile of papers filled with notes on the table. Though she was a lady who respected privacy, this was an urgent matter. Lizzy inched closer and took a look at the notes, they were about monsters. She was so focused on reading that she failed to notice the tall figure appear behind her. He pulled up a chair and Lizzy jumped at the sound. Her heart racing, she turned around and came face to face with Henry. He was now dressed in his leathers and came from the shadows of an aisle carrying a stack of books.

"Henry you gave me such a fright! What are you doing here?"

"I can't sleep. Brushing up on some reading."

"Monty and Gwen Imagine Christmas?" Lizzy asked picking up a book from his pile. "An invigorating bed time story, I'm sure."

Henry smiled. "It's a sort of mnemonic. What does its acronym spell?"

"...Magic?" Lizzy said wide eyed.

"Sir Benjamin didn't toss his books. He just hid them from prying eyes. Found this lot." He said pushing his pile of books towards her.

"Clever," Lizzy mused. "Can I help?"

"I was hoping you'd ask," Henry said with a smile. The first one he ever gave her.

* * *

Jane stood by the window looking down at the manor grounds. Thanks to Maria and Lizzy, she felt much better, though she still couldn't sleep. Jane laughed to herself,  _my brothers will never believe me_.  
She began to waltz and swung her legs around in a turn. They wanted to move. Putting on her robe, she stepped out of her door and walked along the hallway. It was dark and she could just make out the stairs at the end. A sharp pain bolted through her leg as her wounded hip hit the corner of a stand. Jane doubled over in pain.

 _CLANG._ A brass vase hit the floor and rolled down the passageway, clamoring away. Jane winced at the sound.  _Now you did it Jane._

"Jane? Are you alright?" Asked Richard rushing over to her from his room. He was shirtless, and dressed only in his knickers. His hair was an unruly mess of blond hair.

"Yes, yes, just had a small accident," Jane responded annoyed.

"What are you doing out? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I'm alright, the girls gave me an antidote. I just wanted to stretch my legs."

"Do you need help—"

"No!" Jane tried to stand up. She hobbled back to her room, her hip shooting pain with every step. She hadn't made it more than a few steps when her legs started trembling.  _This is just great,_ Jane mumbled to herself.

"Let me help you Jane," Richard was at her side before she could stop him.

He placed one of her arms over his shoulder, and he lifted her by her waist. Together they walked back to her room where he helped her on her bed.

"You shouldn't stress yourself before you've recovered."

"Richard, I've been in bed all day. I need to move. I feel so helpless."

Richard shook his head and laughed. "How about I help you walk around the manor for a bit, then you come straight back to bed."

Jane thought of it for a moment, "What are you conditions?"

Richard frowned, "none. Just want to help out."

"Since when are you so selfless?"

"Since I met the most beautiful girl in the world," Richard said with a wink.

Jane laughed and threw a pillow at his face, "Your shallowness knows no bounds."

* * *

Cat tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't sleep. Muttering some Spanish curses she could never say in front of Lizzy or her dad, Cat hopped out of bed and went to Lizzy's room. It was empty.  _UGH. She's at the library again._ As she walked by the piano room, she heard voices from inside.

Cat quietly tip-toed and poked her head in. It was David and Bast, they were playing a card game.

"Can I join you all? I can't sleep."

"Of course!" Bast said.

"We're about to start a new round." David patted the chair next to him and divided out the cards between them.

"So Bast, how do you know Robin?" Cat asked inspecting her cards.

Bast eyed the room and snickered. "Don't tell him I told you, he was out by the school one summer looking for Maria."

David laughed, "he's always been a prideful fool."

* * *

Robin walked out of his room. He didn't like the look Maria gave him. He needed to make sure she was safe. What if the creature really had enchanted her? To his surprise, he found William pacing outside her door.

Robin glowered and snuck up behind William. He cleared his throat, causing William to jump into the air.  
"What are you doing outside a lady's quarters?" Robin asked in a mockingly haughty voice.

William narrowed his eyes and composed himself. "I was walking by for a some water."

"Water's down that way," Robin said pointing down the hallway. He didn't understand what Maria saw in William. Sure he had great hair, and eye's that could rival Richard's in color, but that's it.

"Thanks," William responded coldly. He began to take a few slow steps down the hall, watching Robin the entire time, waiting for him to move. When he saw Robin wasn't moving, he stopped. "Hang on. What are you doing here?"

"I'm checking up on Maria."

William rolled his eyes, "what good are you going to do?" William hated to admit it, but Robin was intimidating. His body was sculpted and decorated with scars.

"Certainly more good than you. What were you planning to do? Read her poetry? Sing her a few songs?"

William crumpled the piece of paper in his hand.  
He marched straight up to Robin. Though Robin was taller, he matched his sight in ferocity. "I'll have you know I'm the best in my school at weapons and hand-to-hand combat."

Robin took a stance, "then show me what you got."

Fists raised the two walked around in circles. William swung first, just grazing Robin's temple as he ducked out of the way. Robin punched low, aiming for William's gut. Though William tried to step back, Robin's fist was too fast and landed on his stomach. William balanced himself. Feinting an uppercut, William landed a kick at Robin's thigh. Robin felt his leg buckle. He tackled William to the ground, bringing him down with him.

"Robin! William! STOP!" Jane cried coming out from her room, she was supported by Richard.

"What is going on here?" Lizzy came running out from the library. She was followed by Henry.

Henry jumped in and pulled the two apart. "Are you two crazy?"

"We're just trying to decide who has the best shot at protecting Maria," William responded readjusting his shirt.

"Like you ever had a shot," Robin said crossing his arms. He hated to admit it, but William's kick had been painful.

"I'll take you on Robin! Tomorrow we will do it the proper way!"

Cat ran down the hallway. She was pulling David and Bast along by their hands. They had just finished their game when they heard the commotion.

"Can't you lot keep quiet?" David scolded

"We heard you all from the parlor," Cat added.

"What are you all doing here?" Maria rebuked coming out of her tower. "If my uncle hears this he will be furious—"

Pounding foots steps interrupted her lecture.

"My uncle!" Maria whispered.

Wide eyed with fear, they clambered into Maria's tower. Maria quietly closed the door behind her just as a loud pounding shook the door.

"Maria! Open this door!" She heard her uncle yell.

Her friends hid. The girls jumped under Maria's covers. Even if they were found they could lie and say they came to keep her company. David and Bast slid under the bed. The De Noir boys jumped out of her balcony, daringly hanging off the edge. William, finding no other solution, hid behind the curtains.

Maria tussled her hair and opened the door with a yawn, "is everything alright uncle?"

Sir Benjamin came right in, his robes billowing behind him.

"Where are they?" He demanded.

"What do you mean?" Maria asked innocently.

Sir Benjamin inspected the tower. He then walked to her tiny door and stuck his head in. He wanted to catch the perpetuators by surprise, but it was too dark to see.

Confused, Sir Benjamin gave one last look around him before he walked out the door.

"Never mind Maria. I thought I heard a commotion. Please go back to bed."

Maria closed the door behind him and let out a deep breath. One by one her friends came out from hiding.

"Have you all gone mad? What on earth were you thinking?" Maria scolded, barely managing to keep a whisper.

Her friends innocently shrugged their shoulders.

"Henry and I were just looking for more answers," Lizzy offered.

"I was trying to stretch my legs," Jane said.

"I couldn't sleep," Cat said with a frown.

"And we were just playing a card game," Bast explained.

"And you two?" Maria asked, looking at William and Robin.

"... We wanted to check if you were ok," William sheepishly responded.

"Well I was certainly better off before," Maria retorted.

"Sorry…" Robin replied.

With the hallway cleared, Maria's friends all went back to their bedrooms.

As soon as Maria closed her door, William and Robin studied one another.

"Truth. Until tomorrow," Robin said offering his hand.

"Alright. That means neither of us visits Maria tonight," William said.

"Deal."

They shook hands and went off to their separate rooms.

Maria laid in bed, unable to sleep. Her head pulsed. Every time she closed her eyes she felt herself falling again.

She hadn't been alone for too long, when a crunching sound of footsteps came from her balcony.

Maria got up and grabbed a poker from her fireplace.

There was a light knock on the glass. With the poker, Maria pushed the curtains to the side and groaned.

"What do you want, Robin?" Maria asked setting her poker down. She opened the doors for him to come in.

He had changed to his shirt and leather pants.

"I couldn't sleep, I was wondering how you were doing."

"My head hurts. And apparently sleep is not an option tonight," She muttered. Maria climbed to her bed and sat against her headboard.

Robin began to pull the chair next to Maria's bed when Maria called out, "Now don't move that!"

"I doubt a chair will do much good," Robin chuckled and sat on the floor.

"Don't be silly. Just sit next to me."

"You're not going to kick me out?"

"If I kick you out, you might just find another way to come back in. Or worse, spend the night outside my window." Maria gestured to her bed and rolled her eyes, "You might as well just stay here."

Robin smiled and sat at the edge of her bed. "Maria, what happened in your dream? Your screams were horrible."

Maria pointed to the blockade. "The monster came through there. It destroyed everything. It killed you. Then it drowned me." Maria described her dream in detail to Robin. "Today we made an antidote with Marmaduke for Jane. I told him what happened and he said we were lucky. He believes we only escaped because the monster was weakened by its travels. Robin just think. What if Jane had died? What if we all died?" Maria cried burying her face into Robin's chest.

Robin placed an arm over Maria's shoulder and gave her a soft squeeze. "Eh doubt it. You escaped from menacing guards trying to kill you. You would've found a way."

"Robin this is different. This creature, we know nothing of it."

"You didn't know anything about us. Yet you got away. And you didn't know how to find the pearls. Yet you did—"

"Only because you helped."

"But you didn't know I would, so you trapped me. And you didn't know how to stop the curse, but you stopped it. Maria, you'll find a way. Besides, you got me helping you now, what more do you need?" Robin teased.

"I'm glad I won't need to trap you again."

"Don't count your luck, it won't happen again."

Maria reached out for his bandaged arm, "Sorry about the poker."

Robin shrugged his shoulders. "I've accepted my fate. Being around you means I'll get hurt some way or another," He said showing her the scar on his hand from her needle.

Maria grimaced. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that…"

"Don't worry. Whether you continue hating me or not, you won't be getting rid of me that easily."

Maria laughed and rolled her eyes. "Hates much too strong of a word. You're arrogant, you're a birdbrain, and you're annoying, but I can't say I hate you."

"Well I'll be. Maria Merryweather, has your heart warmed up to me once more?"

"Don't count your luck," Maria teased, "So long as you stop considering me a child, it may probably warm up to you."

Robin laughed and thought of that night in the dwelling. "No, you are definitely not a child," Robin sighed taking in every detail of Maria's face. She felt her cheeks warm and looked away.

They sat in silence. His arm was still around her shoulders. Though she was confident in her ability to take care of herself, it was nice to have him so near.  
Robin's thoughts were on her dream. He didn't like the sound of it, or Marmaduke's warning. He absentmindedly drew circles on her arms as he thought of what to do. Before he realized it, Maria was fast sleep, her arms wrapped around his torso. Robin took in a deep breath and closed his eyes, determined to protect Maria at all costs.

The sun's rays began to push the darkness away and creep into Maria's room. She took a deep breath and wondered where the smell of pinewood and leather was coming from. Her eyes fluttered open and her heart skipped a beat. She was hugging Robin, with her head resting on his chest. His arms were draped around her. Robin was fast asleep with his head leaning back against the bed post. She remembered the nights events and let out a deep breath.  
 _Well isn't this decent,_ Maria thought sarcastically. She gently pried herself away from him and stretched high up into the air.

Her eyes scanned the room. On her night stand was a fresh new batch of cookies, a tea kettle, and two cups of milk. Her stomach dropped and all blood drained from her face.  _Oh no, no, no._ Maria covered her face with embarrassment. Someone had seen them! There was a note under the kettle.

' _A warm kettle of tea for the nerves,_  
cookies for the heart, and milk for stomach.  
Mum's the word.  
-Marmaduke'

Maria crawled back to Robin, "Wake up! Marmaduke saw you here!" Maria whispered.

Robin's eyes cracked open. He groggily smiled when he saw Maria and snaked his arm around her waist. Maria yelped as he pulled her down into her bed with him. He buried his face into her hair and inhaled deeply.

"Robin, Robin stop! Marmaduke knows you were here!" Maria frantically whispered.

"Then it's too late to change that." Robin tightened his grip and pressed her closer to his chest.

Maria squealed and covered her face. Her stomach flipped and fluttered like never before. Her heart pounded at her chest. Her cheeks and ears burned. Though she didn't want to, Maria tried to pull away. His arm held her strong, unwilling to let go. He continued sleeping with a smile on his face, it was the best sleep he's had in years.

Maria sighed, and accepted her fate. He was so warm. Though her mind scolded her, her heart wished she could stay in his arms forever. She was annoyed with herself. Once again, Robin De Noir got the best of her.

"Nice isn't it?" Robin whispered by her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

Maria scowled and tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach. "I'm sure it'll be a lot nicer when it's my husband by my side."

Robin's smile fell and he opened one eye.  
"That poor bastard. Doubt he'll be ready for all the injuries he's going to get being around you."

"Excuse me!" Maria said smacking his arm. "Your injuries were your own fault."

A knocking at her tower disturbed them. Maria stiffened.

"Robin there's someone at the door," Maria whispered.

The knocking grew louder.

Robin closed his eyes and smiled. "Let them knock."

"Robin De Noir, we'll be in big trouble if anyone else finds you here!"

Robin muffled his groan with her blankets. "Were not doing anything wrong."

 _Click._ The door to her tower swung open.

Maria gasped. "Robin! They're inside!"

Robin's eyes snapped open and he sat up rubbing his face.

Maria ran to her small door and locked it just as the visitor knocked on it.

Maria called out, "give me a minute!"

Maria pushed Robin of her bed. "Get under my bed!" Maria demanded ushering him to stay silent.

Robin groaned and rolled underneath it.

Fixing herself, she swung the door open, ready to face the intruder.  
"William?" Maria asked in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing?"

 _That bastard. He broke the deal!_ Robin thought to himself. Then again so did he, but he was Maria's friend. He didn't count.

"I'm better, though I was still trying to get some sleep," Maria muttered.

"Can I help you? Is there anything I can do to help you relax?" William asked stepping into her room. He surveyed the area.

"I'm alright, thank you for asking. You should get going before someone comes along and finds you hear," Maria suggested walking towards her door.

"We have a few hours until breakfast. There's plenty of time before anyone else wakes up."

"To do what?..." Maria asked. As William walked past her bed to the pile of furniture, Maria's eyes fell to her bed, hoping Robin was out of sight.

"Doesn't seem like a bad idea," William said with a coy smile, his eyes following Maria's.

Maria gasped and turned a deep red, "Oh, noooo. No, that's not what I meant."

 _What is he still doing here,_ Robin thought to himself. His heart pounded angrily at his chest.

William advance towards Maria and grabbed her hand. He spun her around and hugged her from behind, wrapping his arms around Maria's stomach.

"You do still owe me a kiss," he teased.

A loud thud came from under the bed.

"What was that?" William asked and let go of Maria. "Is there someone under your bed?" William bent to check underneath when Maria pulled him up and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Don't mind that, must've been my rabbit! Oh, I feel so much better now William. Thank you for coming!" She grabbed him by his hand and led him to her door. "But you should get going, I need to get ready."

"Oh, er—yes of course. I'll see you for breakfast then."

Maria forced a smile and closed her door. She made sure it was bolted.

Back inside her room she found Robin looking broodier than usual. He wore a scowl and was rubbing the back of his head with one hand, while eating a cookie with the other.

"I should get going," he said rising to his feet.

"No, Robin wait." Maria grabbed his hand. "I don't want to be alone. Please stay a little longer."

Robin sighed and gave her a small smile, "I don't want you to get in trouble… meet me in the gardens before breakfast."

Before Maria could say anything, Robin chugged his cup of milk and took off to her balcony. He stealthily scaled the wall back to his bedroom window.

"Stupid William," Maria muttered closing the balcony doors. She belly flopped on to her bed and inhaled deeply. Maria closed her eyes and smiled, her blankets smelled like Robin.


	20. Lessons in Sword Fighting

Maria forced her eyes open and sighed. If she was to meet Robin for breakfast, she would have to get up now. She nibbled on her cookies and milk before drinking some of her tea. Her stomach all the while spinning from embarrassment, she could only imagine Marmaduke's reaction. She couldn't bear the thought of facing him. Maria thought of the night's events as she dressed and cleaned herself up.

 _And William! His nerve to be so forwards with me, and in my own room…._ Maria huffed with indignation as she braided her hair. _What about Robin?_ A voice whispered in her head.  _Well—well of course he wasn't so decent either… Sneaking into my room…  
_ But despite what she told herself, a part of Maria's heart didn't blame Robin at all. He had been kind, and dare she say it, even gentlemanly— _Well if sneaking into a lady's room is ever a gentlemanly thing to do,_ she scoffed at herself.  
She sounded ridiculous. She knew Ms. Heliotrope and Watson would find that far from respectable. Yet, nonetheless Maria trusted Robin.  _Of course he only wanted to make sure I was alright, as a good friend would.  
_ Her mind conjured up Robin, his sleepy smile, his raspy voice in the morning. Her face flushed red and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. _And unlike William, Robin was quite respectful. After all he didn't try to kiss me…  
_ At that thought Maria felt her heart sink a bit. She looked into the mirror. She was about to be 17 in a few weeks, but unlike Jane or even Cat, she didn't have the full bosom, or pink and round cheeks. Maria was still pale, her red hair and freckles were the only color in her face. Maria wondered if Robin really did think she was no longer a child.  _  
_Maria scolded herself for such thoughts. _Maria Merryweather you will snap out of this foolishness this instance!_ Maria swung her turquoise skirts behind her and marched down to the hall. Her head held high, she was determined not to give Robin anymore thoughts.

"Good Morning uncle," she greeted Sir Benjamin. He was sitting in the parlor drinking some coffee. His eyes were red and struggled to remain open. Sir Benjamin absentmindedly waved his hand to her in greeting.  
Wrolf was curled at his feet, sleeping soundly away. It seemed he was the only one who had gotten any sleep that night.

The morning air stung her eyes and she shivered from the cold. She found Robin napping beneath a tree. His bowler hat was placed over his eyes, and his scarf was wrapped snug around his neck. There was a tear in his leather jacket from the poker she attacked him with.

Maria quietly stepped towards him. She reached for his head, planning to take his bowler hat. She was so focused on the hat, Maria failed to see Robin's smirk beneath the brim. He reached out and grabbed her ankle. Maria yelled and tried to step back, but with her foot still trapped, she fell on her bottom.

"Robin you oaf!"

"Don't go about stealing people's things, especially my hat," he joked.

Robin jumped to his feet and helped Maria up.

"How are you doing? Feeling better?" He asked Maria.

"Much better, though a certain birdbrain almost got me into trouble a few times."

Robin laughed. "I simply wanted to make sure you were alright. I did not mean to stay so late, promise. I was simply tired, closed my eyes for a bit, and somehow fell asleep. Besides, that William guy visited you too!"

Maria stopped herself from laughing, she didn't want him to think that wasn't a serious business. "Both of you were at fault. And as far as Marmaduke's concerned, only you were in my room. Though, in all seriousness, thank you Robin, for keeping me company."

Robin smiled and looked away. He plucked a few leaves from the low hanging branches, "it was nothing."

Maria looked around the gardens and played with her braided hair, "Why did you want to see me?"

Robin reached behind the tree and brought out a bundle of wooden swords in various sizes and lengths. "They're your uncle's. We both agree if you're going to go around attacking people with metal sticks, you may as well know how to use one."

Robin handed her a wooden broadsword, small and light enough for her to first learn on.

"This, this is ridiculous! I can't fight in these skirts! And what will Ms. Heliotrope think!"

"Well doubt the London fashion will be changing anytime soon, and I doubt proper society's thoughts of you will parry a strike or defend you from the monster."

Maria shook her head. Robin was right.

"Now, the first thing to know is stance. Give me your best fighting stance," he commanded.

Maria furrowed her brow and tried to recall anything she knew. She opened her stance, and bent at the knees. Maria felt like a fool.

Robin circled around her. He tapped Maria behind her knee. Her leg buckled and she fell to the ground on all fours.

"What was that for?" Maria yelled.

"To show you what you shouldn't do," Robin chuckled and helped her up. "Now, bend your knees. It'll give you the strength and flexibility to move without collapsing under you." Robin instructed her how to place her feet in order to lunge, side step, and step back.

"Now for the actual sword." Robin handed her a wooden one. "Always keep your hand below the hilt."

Maria took it in her hand and went into a stance. Just as easily, Robin swatted her sword away to the ground.

"I won't get any better if you keep swiping things from me," Maria scowled.

"You won't get any better with that hold. Don't use your wrist. The strength must come from your arm.  
"Now let's start slowly, lunge at me,"

Maria lunged forwards with the sword held out in front. Robin stepped to the side and smacked it away. This time the sword didn't fly out of her hand, though her wrist stung.

"Better," Robin said.

Everything about fighting went against her basic principles of acting like a lady. A few times she even stepped on her skirts and almost fell. Robin was quick to steady her. She was both annoyed and impressed with Robin's reflexes. She wished he were fighting in floor length skirts.

"Its no wonder your society wants ladies to get with men so quick in life. With that attire you could never do anything yourself."

"Robin De Noir I'll have you know I've been perfectly capacle in my dresses. I even saved Moonacre and escaped from your dungeons."

"Maria, you ran around the castle in your undergarments to escape from us," Robin said with a laugh. "I hardly consider that capable."

Maria felt her cheeks burn and she smacked Robin's side with the sword. He feinted pain and doubled over. Worried Maria ran to him, only for him to wrap her in his arms and tickle her sides.

"Birdboy, let me go this instance!" Maria squealed in between laughter.

"Alright were even. Lets keep practicing," Robin said handing her back her sword. Maria and Robin practiced through the morning. He instructed her how to dodge, look for opening spots, and attack. Despite his help, she still felt clumsy and awkward.

As the sun continued to rise, one by one their friends joined them.

"Robin can I learn too?" Cat ran up to them and stood by Maria. She had always playfully fought against her cousins, but they went easy on her, knowing she had no experience with a sword. She couldn't wait to learn a thing or two and surprise them when she went back to Spain. Robin handed her a sword and reviewed all that he taught Maria.

Jane sat on a bench next to Lizzy, she wasn't sure her leg could handle sword fighting. Lizzy was focused on the practice, fidgeting in her seat as she cheered Maria and Cat on.

"Do you want to learn how to fight too?" Henry asked Lizzy. David and Richard were leaning against a tree watching Robin teach the girls.

Lizzy laughed nervously. "I don't know about that. I don't think it's proper and I'll look ridiculous."

"You're in the countryside, things are different here. Besides, I would think after your encounter in the tunnels you'd want to learn some basic defense."

Lizzy bit her lip. Henry was right. Looking ridiculous with a fighting chance was much better than dying in a proper fashion.

Jane nudged Lizzy forwards. "Go! I'm not quite up for it, but then you three can teach me later."

"Alright, just a bit."

Henry gathered two swords and joined Robin. He worked to help Lizzy catch up to Cat and Maria.  
Lizzy was burning with embarrassment. She wished she was a quick learner like Cat. Despite her determination, she couldn't loosen up or move as nimbly as the other two. Plus her bustled gown was quite restraining and did not let Lizzy take a wide defensive stance. At the library, she learned how diligent and clever Henry was. She didn't want him to think her too slow or unable to learn how to fight.  
Henry didn't mind though, he liked the excuse to spend more time with her.

"What type of sword fighting is that?" Asked William as he joined them. He was followed by Bast.

Robin ignored his comment. "Just making sure they know how defend themselves should they need it."

"Maria won't need to defend herself. She's a proper lady. Besides, once she's courted and has a man by her side, she will always be safe and well guarded."

Maria fought against all urge to retort. "You never know what to expect. After all I can't always expect to have someone to defend me."

William studied Robin, "when you have a worthy man by your side, that will never be a concern."

Robin glared at William. Sensing the tension between the two, Bast quickly cut in, "I have to say Maria and Robin have a good point. My mother always did say an education would help anyone in their time of need. I'm sure the same can be said about defense."

"Well then let me teach you probably," William stepped in between Maria and Robin. "Doubt Robin here has had any proper training."

"May not be proper but it'll sure beat you any day."

"Alright show me!"

Wide-eyed Maria handed William her sword and went to sit by Jane. Interested in the match, the boys all surrounded their two friends and the girls joined Jane by the bench.

"Robin, don't take it personally, but I got to cheer oldest mate," Bast chimed.

"I wouldn't expect any less!"

"What are those two oafs doing? Here I thought I was going to be the one learning how to fight," Maria commented crossing her arms.

Jane cleared her throat and stood up. In her best Mrs. Watson impression she said, "ladies, what you all see here is two gentleman fighting for the heart of a girl—"

"Oh please," Maria scoffed.

"Watch it that's my mother you're mocking," Bast said with a laugh.

Jane ignored Maria and turning to Bast, she bowed deeply and said, "with utmost respect may I continue?"

"You may," Bast returned the bow.

Jane thanked him and continued, "at the moment the two gentlemen are displaying their talent in fighting—with the hope of being said lady's knight in shining armor."

The two were engaged in an intense battle of swords when Maria's family came down to inform them breakfast was ready. Sir Benjamin shook his head.

"What on earth is going on here?" he said. Sir Benjamin was carrying Albert and followed by Loveday and Ms. Heliotrope.

Out of breath, the two stopped fighting.

"Just showing Robin how a proper sword fight is done," William said.

"And I'm showing William how to win a sword fight, outside the protection of school rules."

"Well neither are correct, let me show you," Sir Benjamin handed Albert to Loveday and took a sword.

"Jane, are you going to explain what is going on now?" Maria asked.

Jane shrugged her shoulders.

Bast came in, "what you see here now, is a display no longer to win a woman's affection, but to best one another. Establish who the king is—"

"Aha!" Sir Benjamin yelled and raised his sword in victory. Robin was cradling his arm and William his leg.

"I am still victorious. Now for breakfast!"

Sir Benjamin marched up to Loveday and planted a kiss on her lips and another on Albert's forehead. Taking her arm, he led them back to the manor. The rest followed along. William and Robin wore a scowl, disbelief at having been defeated so quickly by an older man.

By the manor they found Digweed speaking the Mr. De Noir. He was on his horse and behind him was carriage.  
"Coeur! What brings you here?" Greeted Sir Benjamin.

"Hello Benjamin, good morning everyone. The Harrison's were curious about the manor and I decided to bring them here. I hope that's not a problem."

"Not at all. Come on in."

The Harrisons unmounted from the carriage and after some proper introductions, were all seated around the dinning table.

"We're sorry about your ship," Loveday said.

"Thank you. It fell under unfortunate circumstances. I just wish I had better news for the families," Mr. Harrison responded.

"Does this happened often?" Asked Lizzy.

"No fortunately not, but when it does, it weighs heavily on all."

Digweed soon came out and served the food around the table. Maria and her friends found themselves mostly quiet, listening to the adults' conversations. David, Richard, Henry, and Bast spoke among themselves, telling stories and jokes. William and Robin were silent. They watched each other, looking for opportunities to best one another. The ladies of the table spoke excitedly of Ms. Heliotropes wedding, though Mrs. Harrison would sneak glances of apprehension towards Maria.

* * *

"Lizzy wake up!" Cat scolded. She smacked the napkin she was folding in Lizzy's face.

Lizzy's head shot up, "I'm awake I'm awake!"

"At this rate you might as well go to sleep," Jane observed. Soon after breakfast, the Harrisons and De Noirs left back to the castle and the Merryweather household got to work on preparations for the wedding.

"What were you doing that kept you up so late?" Maria asked.

"Nothing I was at the library reading. We were wrong about Sir Benjamin, he didn't throw his books away, he just hid them."

"How did you find this out?"

"I didn't, Henry did. He was in the library when I went in."

"Ah so that's why you stayed up late, reading with Henry," Maria teased.

Before Lizzy could defend herself, Loveday came into the room. "Maria can I talk to you for a second," Loveday interrupted.

Maria followed Loveday outside the piano room.

"I couldn't help but notice the blockade was right at the entrance of the secret tunnel. And when your friends were injured, it was the same day you took them to see the dwelling. Is everything alright?"

"Don't worry about it, Loveday. I'm taking care of everything."

"Maria, I may not be the Moon Princess anymore but my sense of magic is not completely gone. Please tell me what's going on? I've had this terrible feeling."

Maria wrinkled her brow. "The monster that attacked Luke, its here."

"No! That can't be possible!"

"It chased us through the tunnels to your dwelling. That's when it attacked Jane." Maria looked down to the floor, "it could've killed us."

"If that's the case we must tell my father and Benjamin—"

"No! They'll cancel the wedding."

"Maria! The wedding is the least of our concerns! Plenty of people use the forest, what if one of them were to get hurt."

Maria pursed her mouth. She hadn't thought of that before.

"Right now we need to do what's best for everyone. I'm just thankful my father and the Harrisons came by carriage. Just imagine if they went back through the forest."

"Robin and his friends know, I'm sure they would've done their best to avoid the forest," Maria muttered.

"Ah so that explains all the visits. Does that mean you and my dear brother are now on speaking terms?" Loveday bit her lip with a smile.

"No! We're simply amicable. Don't go about getting any ideas."

"Yes well… now that Williams in the picture, I can see it'll be much harder for you to decide. He is handsome, and I'll admit, compared to Robin, a bit more refined. Though did you see how brave and strong your uncle was? I certainly got lucky. Maybe now I can convince him to have another child..."

"Loveday! That's my uncle!"

Loveday giggled. "Yes he is and I am quite thankful you brought us together. Don't let a similar story pull you and Robin apart though. Just think of how handsome your babies will be."

Maria gawked. Before she could say another word Loveday took her by the hand and led her to her uncle's study. Sir Benjamin was reading a paper with Albert on his lap. Albert was entertained with a feather on an unused quill.

"Benjamin, we have a serious matter to discuss, can we talk to you for a moment?"

"Yes I already know, people have gone missing."

"Wait what?" Maria asked rushing to his desk. "Who's gone missing?"

"Well we're not too certain, but Coeur took me aside just before leaving. Seems a few of the town drunks and have gone missing. They think David may have been involved."

"No! Why would he be involved?"

"Appears one of the missing people was engaged to his sister. David had shown his displeasure multiple times and even got caught in a quarrel with him."

"David would do no such thing!"

Sir Benjamin just shook his head. "You can't be certain of that. Coeur's done his best to keep the deputies from arresting David. But recently he hasn't been home and it's becoming increasingly difficult to find an alibi."

"It's not David. Maria do you want to tell him what's happened?" Loveday took Albert from Benjamin's lap as Maria began her story.

Sir Benjamin clenched his jaw and felt his face turn red. "Maria Merryweather! Why did you not tell me this earlier?"

"I didn't want to alarm anyone, or have Ms. Heliotrope's wedding canceled."

"Its too late to cancel the wedding but had I known earlier we could've made adequate preparations and warned many not to go into the forest!"

Maria looked down to her feet.

Sir Benjamin stood and paced the room. "Why—No  _how_  in God's name did that thing get here? And how could it have kidnapped so many without being noticed? We would've heard word about it by now."

Sir Benjamin called the house together in the parlor. He paced the floor as he waited for the ladies and the two men to settle in.  
"Now it has come to my attention," he said as he reached one end of the room. "That there is a monster in Moonacre." Sir Benjamin finished at the other side of the room. Throughout his explanation, he continued to pace back and forth. The inhabitants doing no more than follow him with their heads, although Ms. Heliotrope occasionally interrupted him with a 'gasp' or 'good heavens'.

"Marmaduke, do you have any idea what this thing could be?"

"Afraid not. It's been too long since magical creatures roamed the lands."

"I haven't been able to find much information either. Its description doesn't seem to match those in the books," Jane added.

Arrangements were made so that the wedding's reception would be held indoors in the ballroom. Benjamin and Digweed got to work right away. The Merryweather ballroom hadn't been used in a very long time and required many immediate repairs.

By the end of the day, Sir Benjamin and Loveday, accompanied by Wrolf, made their way to the De Noir Castle. In a private meeting, they told Mr. De Noir about Maria's incident and worked to increase the safety of the guests. Word was also sent out to Silverydew and the Moonacre Port, warning of recent disappearances and to stay away from the forest.

* * *

Maria woke up to a bright day. The birds outside her window chirped a summer song. It was the day of the wedding and Maria was excited to help Ms. Heliotrope get ready. With one of Marmaduke's cookies in her mouth, Maria ran down the hall and towards Ms. Heliotrope's door. She knocked on it, teetering on her toes with excitement.

"Come in!" Ms. Heliotrope called. She was still in her night dress and sitting in her vanity chair, drinking a cup of tea.

"Good morning Ms. Heliotrope, ready for your big day?"

"I'm not quite sure Maria. It's all come up so soon."

Maria placed a kiss on Ms. Heliotrope's cheek. "It'll be fine. You're going to be the happiest woman in Moonacre. Let's get you ready."

Ms. Heliotrope thought it was nonsense that Maria was helping her get ready, but once Loveday came to join them, she shushed Ms. Heliotrope and told her to enjoy her day. Together, Maria and Loveday fixed Ms. Heliotrope's hair into an ornate updo. Although she didn't want any such jewels or pearls in her fair, Maria convinced her to allow them to intertwine small white flowers. Next was the dress. Ms. Heliotrope felt white was too bold at her age and instead wore a pale purple hooped dress with long sleeves. The neckline was modest and decorated with white lace. The dress' trim was embroidered with white flowers and atop of her updo sat a dark blue hat with white flowers and lace.

"Maria, Loveday, I—I am not sure I can do this."

"Why not?" asked Maria.

"I don't think I'm ready. I've been a governess for so long. Can I be a good wife?"

Loveday laughed and gave Ms Heliotrope a hug. "Ms. Heliotrope, no amount of time will ever prepare you for marriage. I knew Benjamin for much longer than you've known Digweed, and still I discover new things about him."

"But what if we're unhappy. Two old people set in their ways, can we truly adjust to one another? Oh good heavens what was I thinking agreeing to such a thing!"

"Ms. Heliotrope, you are a strong woman. One who was capable of raising me practically like a single mother." Maria took Ms. Heliotrope's hand in hers and continued, "You gave me all that I ever wanted and made me feel as if I never lost a mother. Digweed is incredibly lucky to have you. He knows that. I know he will do all in his power to make you happy. Besides, you will always have us here."

Ms. Heliotrope fanned away the tears in her eyes. She didn't want to ruin her look. "Thank you," she said squeezing Maria's hand.

"I bought this at the seaport when I went with the girls, I hope you like it." Maria handed her a small box with a red bow. Inside was a beautiful golden necklace with a heliotrope flower pendant. The flower was lined with blue crystals.

"Oh Maria it's beautiful! You shouldn't have!" Ms. Heliotrope said blushing red. The tears now welling in her eyes.

"Nonsense Ms. Heliotrope! I'm sure Maria was more than happy too," Loveday brushed of her comment.

With a beaming smile, Maria placed the necklace around Ms. Heliotrope's neck. Ms. Heliotrope looked beautiful. There was a new life in her eyes. Kissing her check and hugging her tightly, Maria ran to her room to get ready.

Maria changed into a teal hooped skirt with short puffy sleeves. The scooped neckline ended in a heart shaped point with a blossoming white flower at the center. She styled the top half of her hair into a chignon and added a white flower to the side of it. Applying some light powder and make up to erase any evidence of exhaustion, she pinched her cheeks and made her way downstairs. Her friends were sitting in the piano room excited about the wedding. Cat in particular was looking forwards to meeting more of the De Noirs, wondering if they were all as roguish as Robin's friends.  
Lizzy wore a blue bustled gown that had short sleeves which hung off her shoulders. Her hair was styled into a side bun. Cat's hair was in a braided waterfall with lose curls that framed her face. She wore a dark purple hooped skirt with a low cut neckline and black lace at the trim. Jane's hair was in a curled plait updo. Her face was framed by lose blonde ringlets. She wore a pink long-sleeved gown that hung off her shoulders.

With the household dressed and ready, they mounted the carriage and made their way to Silverydew for the ceremonial church. Sir Benjamin had to man the carriage since Digweed had gone off earlier to ensure the preparations were ready.  
The girls giggled as Maria took Ms. Heliotrope's hand to stop her from fidgeting. She would continuously readjust her hat, or place her hands on her mouth. The only thing stopping her from biting her nails were her gloves.

"Ms. Heliotrope, you look beautiful. Things will go smoothly, don't worry," Jane tried to reassure her.

"Oh dear girls, you just don't understand. What is a lady of my age doing with a wedding?"

"Ms. Heliotrope, we are all happy for you. You deserve every bit of happiness no matter your age," Maria said.

Outside the church, Ms. Heliotrope greeted their guests. Some of Ms. Heliotrope's friends and distant relatives from London were there. Ms. Heliotrope's friends were also governess and cried out with joy at seeing their old friend. Maria had only met them a few times, choosing to stay home with the maids when Ms. Heliotrope would go out with them. Though they were a nice set of ladies, they had a knack for gossip and holding conversations Maria found boring.

Inside the church the girls rushed to the front isle. Digweed stood by the altar with his hat in his hands. He was smartly dressed in a nice black suite and polished shoes. A look of disbelief was in his eyes as he searched the room, looking for Ms. Heliotrope.

The girls too searched the room. The Harrisons sat in the back. The De Noir boys were seated before them. They were dressed in suits. Robin's eyes were only on Maria. William, who happened to sit behind Robin, tossed her a wink. She bit her lips to stop herself from smiling and returned her attention to the front.

The ceremony was small and private, just as Ms. Heliotrope had wished it.

Back at the Merryweather Manor, the guests were treated to a delicious lunch. The Harrisons were particularly keen on knowing who the Merryweather cook was, though Marmaduke wished to stay out of sight.

"You girls enjoying the wedding?" Richard asked them. He was followed by his friends. They girls were in the ballroom eating pastries and drinking strawberry cordial.

"It's a beautiful wedding, though seeing all the men in arms is strange…" Jane responded.

Maria took a look around the room and nodded her head. After Loveday and Sir Benjamin spoke to Mr. De Noir about the monster in Moonacre, Mr. De Noir decided his men were to remain with their weapons, in case anything were to happen.  
Ms. Heliotrope was at first taken aback by the guns and swords strapped to the mens' hips. She hoped the wedding would be as proper as Loevday's, though considering the circumstances, she was glad everyone was safe.

"Maria, have you asked William about their ship and its cargo?" Robin asked looking around to make sure no one else heard.

"No, I haven't had a chance to speak to him."

"Maria you look beautiful, can I have this dance?" William asked walking in between them.

"Speaking of the devil," Robin muttered rolling his eyes. Before Maria or William could say another word he took his leave.

"I wonder what's eating him," William said with a knowing smile. "Never mind him Maria. A girl as beautiful as you shouldn't be standing all along."

"Thank you William, though I hadn't been." Maria decided this was her chance to ask him. She took his arm and followed him to the middle of the room.

With his arm around her waist and her hand in his, they waltz to the music.

"Are you enjoying your stay?"

William smiled, "Though I wish I were here in different circumstances, the De Noirs have been surprisingly hospitable and Moonacre is more beautiful than I first gave it credit for." William led her about the room, proud to have the first dance with Maria. He wanted all to see her dancing with him, especially Robin. "But you know what the best part is? I got to spend time with you. I would conclude this summer is better than I'd imagine."

Maria smiled, "I'm sure there are plenty of ladies out there who would love to be at your side."

William laughed. "My mother does get annoyed by all the attention I get. But I don't care for it. Most girls just want a lavish life and see me as a means to get it."

"You poor soul. You must suffer so much," Maria teased.

William spun her around and brought Maria back into his arms, "I do. Especially when the one I want doesn't show the same interest."

Maria's eyes met William's and she felt his arm around her waist tightened. Her ears burned. "I—I'm sure you'll find the right girl in no time. Just make sure she's not only interested in your money."

"I know she isn't. This girl is much different."

Maria smiled and looked away. She needed the conversation to get back on the ship, thinking quickly she said, "The families of the sailors, have they been informed?"

William looked down to the floor. "Yes my father sent word as soon as we heard the news. We needed to give them some resolve as soon as possible. They had been missing for a long time."

"It must be horrible." Maria said thinking of the bodies they found in the dwelling. She shuddered and felt sick.

"Are you alright, do you need my jacket?"

"I'm fine. I'm simply thinking of the shipwreck, it must have been terrible. Did you lose much merchandise?"

William told her they weren't able to salvage much. What was left of the hull was in ruins from the weather. The merchandise that was recovered was also in various states of decomposition.

"What was the ship carrying?"

"Various fabrics, spices of sorts, mostly household goods. There was furniture and lumber as well. Though none of that survive either."

Maria thought hard. She wasn't getting far with William and their song was about to end. "Do you know what caused the ship to sink?"

"My father thinks it must have been the bad weathered that hit England this winter. He doesn't see what else it could've been."

"It's strange isn't it though? For the ship to have strayed so far from London. I heard from Robin you two compete for the London ports."

"Erm—well yes. It didn't make sense when we first heard either. But, well you see, I heard stories of how winds can cause ships to veer far off course. After all, that's how the Americas were discovered."

"Yes I see," Maria said studying William. He looked confused, or maybe taken aback. Maria wasn't quite sure. She didn't like staring into his eyes for too long. They made her stomach flutter.  
"I once read a story about a vampire. He stole away on a ship and ate the sailors to survive. It caused the ship to crash into a port and allowed the monster to terrorize innocent civilians."

William forced a laugh. "Maria, I'm not sure you should be reading those stories. They may make your nightmares worst."

"But what if that happened to your father's ship?"

William furrowed his brow and gave her a strange look. He spun her around once more before responding, "I highly doubt that Maria. First of all, as an educated London lady you would know such creatures don't exist. And if there was a monster on board. Where is it now? We certainly didn't see anything strange when we picked up the rubbish."

Maria's face fell. She didn't think William knew anything about the monster. The song came to an end and Maria thanked William.  
She searched for Robin and found him with Henry sitting by the table set with food.

"I don't think William knows anything," Maria said sitting next to Robin.

"Probably lying," Robin brought her a drink.

"I doubt it, he genuinely looked confused."

"What are the chances of the monster being a stowaway?" Henry asked.

"I doubt a monster could sneak in so easily. It has a long and raggedy hooded cloak. It also appears to float. Though without footsteps, it may make sneaking on board a vessel at night much easier," Maria explained.

"Perhaps. I don't want to consider that family innocent just yet," Robin said studying William from afar. He was now with his parents talking to them.


	21. Of Marriages and Plans

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Asked Jane. She was looking at the newlywed couple.

Digweed had been practicing his dancing just for the occasion. Though he was still a bit awkward, he did his best to gracefully lead Ms. Heliotrope around the dance floor. Her lilac dress softly trailed behind her. Ms. Heliotrope had decided to keep her maiden name, though she did hyphenate Digweed at the end. She figured at her age, there was no point in changing names, nor was she particularly fond of the surname 'Digweed'. Digweed hadn't minded at all. He was just happy to have conquered her heart, a feat he didn't think was possible with his status. He was determined to do all that he could to make her happy.

"Yes, it's a beautiful story. Gives me hope that one can always find happiness," Lizzy mused.

"It's a bit scary honestly," Cat stated. "I feel as though there's too much to see, I can't quite think of settling down with children within the next few years."

Lizzy and Jane looked at Cat in bewilderment.

"What?" Cat asked.

Lizzy laughed before responding, "Dear sister, has the monster's poison gotten to you too?"

"Ugh, Lizzy what do you mean?" Cat countered rolling her eyes.

"It's just strange, we all thought you'd be the first to marry," Jane explained.

"Me? Why would that be the case?"

"Well you are the one who's always going on about weddings and how handsome the boys are," Lizzy responded.

"And you never fail to gush over romantic stories or how you want to be swept off your feet," Jane added.

Cat rolled her eyes, "it's not the same thing. Honestly Lizzy you're supposed to be the smart one. Yes, I love grand balls and weddings and fine men. But that doesn't mean I want to settle down now. I mean I'm only 16.  
"Loveday and Sir Benjamin got married in their late 20s and they're quite happy. Digweed and Ms. Heliotrope are much older, and they only just got married today! They seem happy too. You know what's similar with those two cases? Love! They waited for love. Not money or status. Not time."

"Well that's a luxury not all can afford," Richard said walking towards them.

"What do you mean?"

"Most marriages are treated as a business. As if they're only a transaction. Humans for money or status. You're lucky if you get both…" Richard said with a forlorn expression as he looked towards his friends. It was an expression Jane had never seen on him before. "A lady of humble beginnings must be on the hunt for that dashing man with money. Otherwise, how else is she to raise her family? A man of modest origins better get straight to work, and work his entire life, if he's to make enough to even support a family."

The girls stayed silent and watched Maria dance another song with William.

"Perhaps that's why Mrs. Watson is so strict on Maria," Lizzy thought out loud.

"But her uncle, surly they would never leave her in need of money!" Cat exclaimed.

Richard laughed, "I'm sure you're correct, but how many other orphans can say that?"

"If you know so much about marriage, what are your plans then?" Jane asked.

Richard shrugged his shoulders and flashed a smile. "It wouldn't be fair to the other ladies to let just one have me to herself, would it?"

Jane shook her head in disbelief. For a second she actually thought there was a deeper side to Richard.

"I actually came to ask you Jane, would you care to dance with me?"

"I'm sure the other ladies here wouldn't appreciate me having one dance to myself. You should find company with them instead." Jane stood and marched out the ballroom leaving a dumbfounded Richard.

"Love may be a luxury, but you sure aren't going to afford hers with your Casanova attitude," Cat said with a smirk, causing Lizzy to choke on her drink.

Richard frowned and left after Jane.

Lizzy looked to her sister and asked, "Cat, in all seriousness, what do you plan to do after finishing school then?"

"I hadn't thought of it. I just figured, you're my sister and I'll follow you along until I fall in love or find somewhere I belong," Cat said with a small smile.

"So Bast, is he out of the question?"

"He's handsome, and respectable. But to say I love him, I'm not so sure anymore. Lizzy just these past few months we've learned so much! There's a whole other world out there. A world filled with new people and magic!" Cat said with wide eyes and tugging at Lizzy's dress. She was hopping on her toes and almost spilt Lizzy's drink.  
"Just here in Moonacre, in such a small countryside, we've already met more people. Interesting people of different backgrounds and personalities—"

"Like David?"

Cat stammered at Lizzy's tease and shifted her focus to her drink. Cat cleared her throat before continuing, "There's too much to see, too much to learn. In the future, Bast would certainly make a suitable husband—"

"And David would make a suitable partner for adventure?" Lizzy questioned.

Cat glared at Lizzy but refused to answer. She stared across the hall where Maria now sat with David, Henry, and Robin. David's brow was furrowed and his eyes looked deep in thought. He looked up and his eyes met Cat's. She turned away so quickly she missed his smile.

"Who's to say he wouldn't be a suitable husband as well?" Cat asked with an eyebrow raised.

"None, no one's said he wouldn't. But neither have you." A silence fell between them. Cat thought of Lizzy's words. She tried to push them aside, hoping in her heart her feelings would sort themselves out. Her heart was always filled with all sorts of emotions and her mind racing with thoughts. It sparked at new adventures, new introductions, and new sites. It was often difficult to make out what her heart or mind felt for one particular subject.

"Well what about you Lizzy? Dad certainly got along well with Henry's father."

Lizzy's eyes widened and her ears turned pink. Cat was glad she turned the conversation around on her sister. For once, it was Cat interrogating Lizzy.

"I—uh—I um don't—well as you said Cat, it's too soon to tell. I already told Maria I plan on coming back to Moonacre," Lizzy said quickly regaining her composure. "Though I found Sir Benjamin's books—"

"—with Henry's help!"

"I, well yes. With Henry's help. I want to come back and begin researching Magic. I want to gather all known information, and create a sort of encyclopedia. First with Moonacre, then with the rest of the world!" Lizzy's eye's glowed bright at the thought.

"Hmm seems like Henry's life at sea will be suitable for that too…" Cat mused. "Can I travel with you?"

Lizzy playfully slapped Cat on the arm. "What are you going on about? Of course you can come with me! God knows I've long given up hope of ever getting rid of you," Lizzy said with a fake sigh that earned a scowl from Cat. "And Henry, he's just an acquaintance, barely even a friend. Someone who appreciates reading as well as I do."

"And the only person you've fallen for so far."

Lizzy wrinkled her brow, "That's not true! There have been plenty of men I've fancied."

"Historical figures don't count."

Lizzy gasped and broke out in laughter. "I'm not sure if I want to go back home to Spain though, at least not yet."

"Why not?"

"I was talking to Jane, and she said all she's mostly done is talk to potential suitors, avoid her brothers' games and tricks, and talk to her married friends. She misses school and her friends. She misses having a sense of purpose. I think I will feel the same too if I don't go on studying. Not many men out in the world who would care for an academic wife." Lizzy gave a small laugh and shook her head. "It's too soon to tell. Oh and we're invited to visit Jane over the winter break."

"That sounds wonderful! I've wanted to meet her brothers for a while now!" Cat took her sister by the arm and led her to Maria and the boys. "Look at you Maria. The dance has only just begun and you already danced a couple of songs!" Cat teased.

Maria sheepishly smiled and Robin looked away. "Where's Jane?" Asked Maria changing the topic.

"Richard said a few things she didn't like and she went out for a walk," Lizzy explained.

"And Richard ran after her!" Cat added.

"For someone who considers himself a ladies man, he sure doesn't know how to keep one," Henry muttered.

"He's got to learn some way," David responded with a grin.

"With so many young men here, I do hope you girls get a dance or two," Maria teased. Cat eagerly nodded her head and the De Noir boys shifted their weight and gaze.

An argument in the distance broke their attention. Maybelle and Charles came through the door. Maybelle looked visibly upset and Charles was red with anger.

"What a time to show up," Lizzy remarked.

"I'm sure they only came for the food," Robin added.

When the siblings noticed the attention on them, Maybelle marched away and sat towards the back with her family. Charles glared at his sister and went back outside.

"I wonder what they're up to," Maria commented. She was surprised to even see them here, figuring they would rather be anywhere else than at a Merryweather party. "Excuse me," Maria said. She made her way to Ms. Heliotrope. She was currently speaking with her friends, gossiping over some new scandal.

"Ms. Heliotrope, may I speak to you for a moment?" Maria took her tutor a few feet away from her friends. "Why did you invite Charles and his sister?"

"Maria! It was the proper thing to do. I wasn't about to ignore a few De Noirs."

"But—"

"Ms. Heliotrope," Maybelle interrupted Maria. Maria quickly closed her mouth and looked away. Maybelle stuck her nose in the air at the rebuff and returned her attention to Ms. Heliotrope, "I hope you will forgive our tardiness, there was a family business we had to attend to."

"Oh dear, don't apologize. On the contrary, thank you and your family for coming."

"Of course, we must mend relations where we can, things haven't always been easy." With a polite curtsy to Ms. Heliotrope and a head nod to Maria, Maybelle left to finish greeting the rest of her family.

"See Maria, she doesn't seem like such a bad person. Perhaps finishing school molded her into a well-mannered lady."

Maria rolled her eyes and mumbled, "no amount of wealth and education can mend her soul."

"That is no way to speak about relations!" Ms. Heliotrope scolded.

"Hardly," Maria scoffed. "I'm sure it's all a false pretense."

"Maria, whatever happened between you two has long past. You must learn to forgive and forget. You're growing into a beautiful lady, ensure your personality matches in beauty. "

Maria gave Ms. Heliotrope a small smile and hugged her tightly. "Oh Ms. Heliotrope I am so glad you decided to stay in Moonacre. I have no idea how I would have gotten along without you."

"Nonsense my dear. You have Loveday."

"Loveday is a great friend, but you are practically my mother."

Ms. Heliotrope blushed and felt a tear form in her eye. "I have been with you to this very day. I can't leave until I know you're off and settled with a family of your own. Then you'll forget about me."

"Ms. Heliotrope, how could I ever forget you? You will be the grandmother to my children!"

"Oh dear, if you end up with Robin I doubt I could continue to chase after your rambunctious children. Heaven knows I just managed to raise you."

Maria gaped and turned red. "Oh no, Ms. Heliotrope. That will never happen. I can't possibly think of that now."

"Well I suppose so. You are still young. Though I know of a few friends who married at 15. Poor girls, forced to care for children at such a tender age. The thought of it.  
"Although as your guardian, I will say this, William is quite the dashing and proper fellow, I'm sure he'd made a great husband and father as well!"

"Ms. Heliotrope!" Maria gasped, feeling her cheeks turn redder.

"Now, now, no need to be so fussy. It's just a fact of life. One you may have to deal with sooner or later."

"Ladies," A servant walked by with drinks, from which Maria and her tutor each grabbed a glass.

Maria took a big gulp, "a fact of life you avoided."

"Yes my dear that I did, but not all entirely by choice mind you. A girl without much of a dowry finds it hard to find a proper suitor. I opted for the life of education! That way I would allow myself some freedom and still be able to care for the children I love." Ms. Heliotrope said placing a hand on Maria's cheek. "Thank you Maria, for tolerating me so long in life."

"Ms. Heliotrope, are you alright?"

"Yes my dear, just happy beyond measure. If only your father had been able to appreciate his time with you."

Maria looked down at the floor. Since Loveday married her uncle, and she befriended the girls, thoughts of her father weren't as frequent. But once in a while, she did still feel the sharp pain in her heart. It ached at the thought of her father having been so close and not once bothering to see her. Up until his death, she had excused his neglect due to his time away for duty as a colonel in India. But now, she wasn't sure. She wondered how many times before he had been in London without seeking her.

Ms. Heliotrope took Maria into her arms and gave her shoulders a loving squeeze. Maria inhaled a deep breath of her governess' favorite French rose perfume. "You have been gifted a loving family. One full of life and adventure," her governess said trying to comfort her.

"I'm just glad you are still here with me."

"I will always be here for you." Ms. Heliotrope kissed Maria's forehead and took a step to the side as Robin approached them.

"Maria, are you alright?" Robin asked.

Maria nodded her head and wiped away the tears from her eyes. She was careful not to ruin her make-up.

"I saw Maybelle come over here, she didn't hurt you, did she?"

"No, she just wanted to excuse her arrival. I'm well, thank you Robin."

"Would, er, dancing make you feel better? Only if you want to, of course." Robin asked tentatively.

Startled, Maria looked up. "Do you still know how to dance?"

"…I hope so?" Robin questioned himself and scratched his head. He was beginning to regret his offer. He hadn't danced in so long.

Maria laughed, "I would love that." Ms. Heliotrope hugged Maria one last time then left to rejoin her friends and husband at the table.

Maria took his arm and Robin led them to the dance floor.

Before they could begin, Mr. De Noir interrupted them. "Erm, Robin, would you and your friends please escort the Harrisons back to the castle?"

"Now?"

"Yes now," Mr. De Noir growled shooting Robin a glare. "Mrs. Harrison claims she's incredibly tired and they're set to leave tomorrow morning. They should get home early to pack and prepare themselves for their travel."

"Can't it wait till we're done dancing?" Robin asked through gritted teeth.

Mr. De Noir placed a hand over Robin's shoulder and pulled him near, silencing Robin. "It's nearing dark and I would rather David be back at the castle, away from all the townsfolk."

Robin nodded his head. Since the recent disappearances, rumors sparked like wildfire and the townsfolk were growing suspicious of David. They didn't understand why Mr. De Noir continued to protect him, they were sure he was the one causing the disappearances.

"Robin," William called out from behind Mr. De Noir. "I truly am sorry for the inconvenience. I only hope you'll find another time to dance with Maria." There was a small smile of triumph on his face.

"Go Robin," Maria whispered nudging his shoulder. "It's alright, you'll owe me a dance."

Frustrated, Robin rounded up his friends. Richard and Jane had returned back to the ballroom. After much convincing, he managed to get a dance with her.  
Cat danced a few songs with Bast and the other boys. David had slunk away to the shadows and didn't ask her to dance at all. She looked happy with Bast. He didn't think she'd want to dance with him. He didn't want to get his hopes up.  
Henry and Lizzy were left to sit together. At first they had spent a few minutes in uncomfortable silence. But noticing Jane's scowl, Lizzy made a comment that caused Henry to laugh. Though they didn't dance, they spoke of Moonacre and life. Henry asked her about Spain and Lizzy asked him about his future plans. Henry didn't have much to say. He studied his hands as he absentmindedly responded that he would go where Robin went until he found his own path.

Having said their goodnights, Maria and her friends watched the De Noir gang lead their guests out of the ballroom.

The celebration came to an end later in the evening. Digweed and Ms. Heliotrope retired to their cottage and the Merryweather household watched the guests leave back home.  
Maybelle stepped up to her carriage and looked back to Maria. She furrowed her brows, her eyes no longer angry. Then raising her head up high she went in without another look back.

"Don't worry about her," Jane said drawing Maria's attention.

"She's probably just jealous you got most of the boy's attention," Cat said leaning her head on Maria's shoulder. "And most definitely Robin's, she didn't even dance with him."

"Neither did I," Maria said rather glumly.

"But you did dance with William and plenty of the other town boys," Cat said.

"And quite a few times too," Lizzy added with a teasing smile. She took Maria and Cat by the arms and led them inside as the last of the carriages passed through the gates.

"You and William do make a gallant couple," Jane added. "Quite proper, Mrs. Watson would approve."

"Yes..." Loveday said with a sigh joining the girls. She held Albert in her hands. He was snuggled into her chest and sucking his thumb. His eyes were half asleep and his shaggy black hair sheltered them from the chandelier light. "I do admit you two looked handsome together. Even Benjamin stopped huffing after the first song." She added with a laugh. Despite this, Loveday still wanted Robin to win Maria's heart.

* * *

Maria sat up in her bed. Her heart was racing and beating against her ears. She looked out her balcony and saw the bright moonlight high up in the sky. She wasn't sure what woke her up. She was sure it wasn't another nightmare.  
Yet the more she thought about it, the more she realized she couldn't remember what she had dreamt about. The pile of furniture was still in place. Not an inch of it had moved. Her room was still and silent. Just as she had left it before she fell sleep. Her small door creaked open, just enough to allow a thin crack of light to enter.  
With the wedding out of the way, they could all focus on the problem, getting rid of that monster.  
Maria sighed, deciding it must have been another bad dream. She laid back down to bed and watched the stars on her roof. Her finger followed their trace and she recalled the constellations she had learn. A part of her was excited to return back to school. But before she could go back, she needed to rid Moonacre of the monster.

Maria close her eyes and slowed her breathing, feeling the heavy weight of sleep over her eyes and body.

A scraping sound came from underneath her bed. Maria's eyes shot open. Through the corner of her eyes, a tall shadowed figured emerged from under her bed.  
Its cold hand slammed down onto her mouth. Maria tried to scream but the clammy fingers wrapped over her face, squeezing her mouth and eyes shut. Maria kicked and punch, swinging her arms about her. She struck soft flesh and heard a grunt. The grip on her face loosened and she bit a finger covering her mouth.

"Ahh!" It screamed and let go of her.

Maria released herself and kicked the assailant. She twisted out of bed but the goon grabbed her ankle and pulled her back.

Maria screamed, shouting for her family and friends. The attacker straddled her from behind and pulled her head back to cover her mouth. With the other hand, the assailant tried to pull Maria's arms behind her back. A sharp tear of fabric cut through her struggle.  
Maria twisted a hand free and grasped at the floor seeking a stronghold. Her hand touched a cold rough rod. She grabbed it as she felt herself get pulled back towards the assailant once more. Turning around, she struck the assailant over the head with her poker and was let go. Maria rolled out of bed clutching her poker and landed on the icy tiled floor. Jumping to her feet she continued beating her assailant with the metal rod. The assailant was dressed all in black, its face hidden beneath a black mask. With one last swing behind the head, she ran through her door and shut it behind her. Running into the hallway she crashed straight into her uncle.

"Maria! What's wrong?" He asked inspecting her. Her hair was in a disarray and the sleeve of her night dress was torn from the seam.

"There was someone," Maria gasped between breaths, "In my room."

Sir Benjamin took the poker from Maria's hand and held it defensively. He open her tower door and cautiously entered, circling about him. The tower was empty and he quietly made his way to her small door.

Loveday and the girls had join Maria in the hallway. Loveday inspected Maria, her wrists were bruised and there was another growing behind her shoulder. Small bruises the size of finger prints were forming along one side of her cheek, "Oh Maria, what did they do?"

Sir Benjamin slowly opened her room's door and crouched through. The room was a mess and the balcony doors were thrown wide open. The cold wind blew the curtains to the side, allowing the moon to illuminate the room. The furniture had been casted aside to reveal her desk and wardrobe. Maria's clothes and belongings littered the floor. Her desk's drawers had been emptied and thrown to the floor. Her pillow and mattress were cut open.

Sir Benjamin searched every crevice of the room. Behind the curtains, beneath the bed, outside the balcony, and he lowered his poker. The room was empty.

"It looks like they've escaped," Sir Benjamin said rejoining the ladies and placing the poker against the wall.

"What did they want?" Asked Jane

"Was it the Monster?" Cat asked.

"No, it was a person. It was dressed all in black and its face was hidden behind a mask."

"That definitely does not sound like the monster," Lizzy remarked.

The sound of shattering glass came from the other side of the manner. It was followed by a baby's cries.

"Albert!" Loveday yelled running for her room.

Sir Benjamin took the poker and chased after her. He was followed by Maria and her friends.

Loveday entered in time see a black figure jump out the window. Albert squirmed and cried, reaching out for his mother.

"Albert!" Loveday screamed with tears in her eyes.

"No!" Sir Benjamin ran after the figure. The thief jumped on a black horse and rode into the forest. Two other figures cloaked in black joined with their horses.

Sir Benjamin screamed in anger and threw the poker after the assailant. The horse's leg buckled as the poker scrapped its thigh but regained its balance and galloped away. Albert's cries faded with the growing distance. Sir Benjamin ran back inside and put on his trousers. He grabbed a lamp from the wall.  
Loveday was slumped on the ground, with Maria cradling her shoulders.

"I will get him back!" Sir Benjamin kissed her forehead and ran to the stables.

"Maria," Loveday choked between tears. "You must get Robin and my father. We need more men out in the forest."  
Maria nodded, "Jane, come with me."

Running to her uncle's armory, she took two thin sabers from above the fireplace.

"Cat, Lizzy, go tell Marmaduke what happened, then inform Ms. Heliotrope and Digweed as well." She handed one of the sabers to Cat, "take this, should you need it."

Cat nodded her head and grabbed Lizzy by the hand. Together they ran off to the kitchens and Jane and Maria ran to the stables. Maria held the other saber in her hand. Jane grabbed a poker on the way.

Periwinkle snorted and neighed at the sight of Maria. She was outside her stable, frantically running around. The other horses were loose too. The stable's locks had been broken and cast to the ground.

Jane saddled Primrose and the two horses galloped towards the De Noir castle as fast as they could.

At the gates, Maria loudly rang the bell. A guard stumbled in, "what's the meaning of this?"

"It's an emergency! I must see Robin and Mr. De Noir."

Recognizing the Moon Princess, the guard nodded his head and quickly opened the gates.

Maria banged on Mr. De Noir's door. He stepped out in his night clothes, his hair was a wild mess around him.

"What the devil is going on Maria?"

"Albert, he's been kidnapped!"

Mr. De Noir's face contorted with rage, "What do you mean?"

"Just now, dressed in black, a group of three figures failed to take me but took Albert."

Mr. De Noir slammed his fist on the door, "Go wake Robin and meet me in my office at once!"

Maria ran off in Robin's direction pulling Jane behind her. At his door they both banged on it, "Robin! Wake up! Albert's been kidnapped!"

His door swung open. "What?"

"They tried to take me but took him instead. I'll explain in your father's office."

Robin went back inside and changed into his leathers. Immediately after, they ran to Mr. De Noir's office.

He was now dressed in his usual leather and fur attire. Robin's tutor sat at his desk scribbling notes while Mr. De Noir barked orders to his officers, "Dulac! Round up every able body and get to the manor! We will find my grandson and kill the bastards responsible for this!"

"There's no need to go to the manor! Uncle's already followed them to the forest. You'll find them there!"

"Alright then! Dulac begin your search this side of the forest. I want a wide perimeter that closes in towards the Merryweather side. Do not leave any area unsearched and do not show those thieves any mercy!"

"Dulac, please check the tree you chased Robin and me into so long ago. Pull on a horse head to reveal a hidden door. It leads into the tunnels, where we first found the monster!"

Dulac nodded and left with his soldiers.

"Robin, I've sent word for your friends. They will be here any moment. Escort Maria and Jane back to the manor and begin your search there."

Without another word, Mr. De Noir took his hawk from his perch and left to grab his horse. Mr. Havisham collected his notes and placed an arm on Robin's shoulder, "Be careful out there Robin. Take care of your friends." With a nod to the girls, he left to follow Mr. De Noir.

"Robin we can help!" Maria said.

"No. Let's go."

"Robin? Maria? What's the matter?" Asked William coming down the hall with Bast. They were dressed in their trousers and shirts. Their swords were sheathed at their sides. Hearing the commotion, they realized something was wrong and came to investigate.

"Albert, my nephew, he's been taken!" Maria responded.

"What? What for?" Asked Bast.

"I'm escorting them back to the manor and then going to the forest to search for him," Robin said.

Robin turned to leave but William cut him off, "Robin, your dad boasts about your knowledge of the forest. You take your friends there, Bast and I will escort Maria and Jane back."

Robin nodded his head.

Outside the gates they met up with Henry, Richard, and David. Each was ready with their sword, knife, and gun.

"Robin please, let me help! It's me they want!"

"No!" Robin and William said at the same time.

"That is exactly why you can't go! We won't give them what they want!" Robin snapped.

"Why do they want Maria?" Asked Bast.

"It's a long story," Jane said.

"Besides, Maria no offense, but look at what you two are wearing," Henry commented waving his hand in their direction.

Maria and Jane looked to one another. They were still in their thin night dresses. Both girls were covered in goosebumps from the cold summer night. "Alright then, I'll change and join you at the forest."

"Maria, I had to rescue Cat from a tree. Your dresses are not suitable for the forest. We need to move fast. Every hour we waste is an hour less for Albert," David said shaking his head.

"Maria, you will go to the manor with William and Bast. If you really want to help, you will keep out of harm's way and let us do the search. You're not ready for this. Not yet." Robin said. It pained him to say so, but Maria and her friends would only get in the way.

Maria huffed with indignation and anger. She was the Moon Princess. This was her valley. It was her fault Albert was taken. They would not stop her. Maria glared daggers at Robin and mounted periwinkle. She galloped back to the manor with Lizzy close at her heels.

"I'll take care of her," William said. He and Bast rode behind the girls.

Back at the manor, Loveday was pacing the front doors. The sun had just begun to rise and showed the grief in Loveday's tear-stained face. As soon as the girls were brought to safety, William and Bast left to the castle. They needed to speak to William's parents and join the search.

Maria learned from Cat and Lizzy that they found Marmaduke gagged and bound, lying unconscious by the kitchen doors. He heard the intruders break in and tried to warn the household but was overtaken by them. Ms. Heliotrope and Digweed had searched through the gardens and manor, looking for any sign of the intruders, but found nothing.

"Loveday, I need to go to the forest," Maria begged. "This is all my fault!"

"Of course not! We will not let another family member out of our sight!" Loveday scolded her through her tears.

"But uncle, your father, and Robin are all out there. They're family too!"

"Maria! You don't know the forest as they do. You don't know how to fight. You don't know any magic. What could you do to defend yourself or rescue Albert?"

Maria was beginning to feel her blood boil. Here was the same person who encouraged a young naïve girl of 13 to go to a castle filled with men trying to kill her. Here was the same person who encouraged her to defeat a curse she knew nothing about. And now, this same person didn't even want her to go into the forest.

"I will do the same thing I did so long ago, Loveday! Back when you believed in me! Back when I destroyed the curse!"

Loveday stopped in her tracks and stared at Maria. Her eyes were hard and determined. Fueled by the anger inside, Maria was ready to go to any length to bring Albert back.  
"I'm so sorry Maria," Loveday sobbed running to give Maria a hug. "Back then you were only up against my family. I believed they could do you no harm. I knew the goodness in Robin's heart and had faith he would come to help you. We don't know what we're up against now. We just don't want to lose you too." Loveday choked on the last word.

"You won't lose me. You won't lose Albert. Not while I'm still the Moon Princess," Maria said this with such conviction Loveday no longer doubted Maria's fighting spirit.

"Maria, this is dangerous. Do you understand how your uncle will feel if you get hurt? How Ms. Heliotrope will feel? You don't have much training."

"It's too late to change that. But when I come back—and I will come back—I will train with Robin. I will make him teach me. But until then, I must go."

Loveday nodded her head. There was no stopping Maria. She prayed to the heavens and Mother Nature that they look over her family and Maria. She prayed they would all come back home safely.

"As much as I would love to help, there's still the issue of clothing," Jane interjected.

"She's right, we're not outfitted for the forest," Cat said remembering the time she got trapped by trees and bushes.

"Oh no! Neither of you are coming with me" Maria said.

"Maria, you'll need all the help you can get," Lizzy said. "I have all sorts of information about monsters, Cat's as good as you with a sword, and we need Jane's stealth and sporty ability."

Maria narrowed her eyes and shook her head. Suddenly, she thought of a story she read. It was from another book that had been sent by her unknown librarian. It was a story about a girl who takes her father's place to fight. "Alright then. Loveday, I have an idea."

* * *

"This feels really strange," Cat said kicking her legs into the air and doing some funny squats. "I feel all loose and jiggly."

"How are you supposed to use the restroom with these?" Asked Lizzy.

"I don't know, I quite like them though. Climbing will sure be easier now," Jane grinned, happy at the thought of not having to take off her dress to scale a wall. "Besides, they're quite flattering on the buttocks, just look at Maria."

"Excuse me!" Maria scolded. They were in Loveday's and Sir Benjamin's room. Digweed had patched the window with wooden planks until the glass maker could come by.

They looked in the mirror and laughed at the ridiculous sight, they were dressed in Sir Benjamin's old clothes!

Maria and Cat wore blue breeches with knee length socks. Lizzy and Jane wore loose brown trousers. They had to tuck them into their boots to keep themselves from tripping over the long pant legs. None of Sir Benjamin's old boots fit them so they kept their own riding boots.  
With help from Loveday, they were able to use long strips of fabric as a makeshift bodice to hold their breasts in place. Jane and Cat, who were the bustiest of the girls, had to wear lace-up tunics that were just able to close over their chest. Maria and Lizzy fitted into a buttoned tunic with a pressed collar. Each put on an old tail-coat jacket, completing their disguise. Maria's was blue, Cat's was maroon, Lizzy's was black, and Jane's jacket was green.

Not wanting their hair to get in the way, the girls helped each other braid it into a low bun and covered their heads with old dusty brown caps.

"We make a nice group of good-looking lads," Cat said with a wink.

"I really want to see the boy's expressions when they see us. Do you all think Richard will still find me beautiful?" Jane said with a laugh.

"Let's hope they don't see us, they'll just try to send us home," Lizzy stated.

"I think we're ready, let's get on with this. We're losing time." Maria led the way to the armory. They each sheathed a small dagger and sword on either side. Lizzy and Jane felt unbalanced with the added weight, but Maria convinced them it was better to have a weapon at their side than nothing at all.

Lizzy took her bag and stuffed her notes and the rest of the antidote inside. Cat grabbed a few torches and matches to light in the tunnels or use on the monster. She had observed the monster was weakened by fire. Jane, the quickest and nimblest of the four, snuck into the kitchens and stuffed her bag full of dried meat, fruits, and cookies. She also took two lamps from the kitchen. Maria implored for Mother Nature's guidance and God's protection, praying they all came back with Albert healthy and alive. She stuffed rope, an extra kerosene bottle, and three handfuls of small stones from the garden into her bag.

"Hurry! The men have returned," Cat said from the window. "Judging from their faces, I would said they haven't found Albert."

"Then we don't have much time! Loveday will distract them. Let's go!"

The girls snuck from the armory and followed Maria to her room.

"Oh where have those girls gone?" They heard Ms. Heliotrope question. "We could really use their help to serve the men a quick breakfast."

"I believe they went out to the gardens for a walk," Loveday's voice broke as she thought of an excuse.

"Our search begins here girls," Maria said standing in front of her blockade. "Are you all sure you still want to do this?" The girls nodded their head and Maria sighed with relief. She did not know what she did to deserve such good friends. She was happy she wouldn't be doing this alone.

The girls worked to remove the furniture blocking the hidden door. Maria pulled on the horse's head and revealed the entrance. Jane lit a lamp and handed it to Maria. Their heart thumped at their chest. Their synchronized breathing was the only sound around them. The entrance was pitch black and silent. The smell of damp stone and dust came from deep within. The lamp revealed old cobwebs around the entrance, dusty from years left undisturbed. A stone staircase disappeared below into the darkness. With the lamp held out high, and her other hand clasped tight around Cat's, Maria stepped into the darkness with her friends close behind.


	22. When Things Cant get Any Worst

The sun steadily made its wait up to the sky as the men trudged out of the forest. Word had passed through Silverydew and Merryweather Port about Albert's kidnapping. Those that could, joined the De Noir search party. They looked underneath the shrubbery into burrows, up on trees and through crevices, but none could find a trail of the missing child or the thieves. Moonacre's forest was vast, and there was still a large area left unmapped.  
Since the De Noir acquisition of their section of the forest so long ago, the De Noirs had worked hard to draw a map of the forest. Robin and his friends went on to add detailed landscapes and markings to the ever growing chart. However, there was one area that remained unknown.  
The Merryweathers had never been as invested in their territory of the forest as the De Noirs. They instead focused their efforts on civilization, specifically expanding Silverydew and the seaport. It wasn't until Robin intruded into the Merryweather side looking for the moon pearls and princess, that anyone began to finally map that region of the forest.  
Despite Robin's few years dedicated to trespassing and charting, it was not enough.

As Robin and Sir Benjamin led groups of men in their search, they came to the frustrating conclusion: the Merryweather owned land was much bigger than they had anticipated. There were too little men and too much untracked territory.

Mr. De Noir's hawk was soaring above Moonacre keeping a vigilant eye. He had yet to find any trace of Albert either.

Robin and his friends trailed behind. His fists held tight onto his saddle. It was close to noon, and Albert was still missing. He couldn't understand how this happened. Just how did a crying child and thieves hide so well?  
Not only was there no sign of Albert, but Dulac and his men had yet to come out from the tunnels. No one had received even a word from them.  
Some had begun to think the worst, seeing only one possible way for the lack of a child's cries. Robin absolutely refused to think such thoughts. He was angry. His brows were deeply furrowed. His jaw was clenched tight, shooting waves of pain to his temple, but his ire ignored the pain.

At the manor, Robin found Mr. De Noir and Sir Benjamin arguing with the county sheriff. The head commander spotted David and pointed towards him, calling his men to action. Before anyone could react, two officers pulled David from his horse. They twisted his arms behind his back and chained them together.

"Bloody hell, what is going on?" David shouted, struggling to pull away. The officers ignored him and stripped him of his weapons.

"You are arrested for the disappearances of James Johnson, Arthur Winston, Calvin Taylor, and now Albert Merryweather," responded the sheriff.

"Ridiculous! I was home all—"

"Martin you bastard this is ridiculous! You know very well this boy didn't do anything!" Mr. De Noir's face was still contorted in anger. His temple pulsed with each pounding heartbeat. He did all he could to stop himself from shooting the sheriff. He always found them to be a spineless lot.

"This is preposterous! I'm telling you the perpetuators are in there! We need your men in the forest with us!" Sir Benjamin shouted pointing to the forest. "We didn't send for you to arrest David! We need a search party."

"From our experience, it's usually a family member or close friend who is found to be guilty. The townsfolk are growing worried and we need to make an arrest."

"What a load of Rubbish! Martin you've always been all mouth and no trousers!" Mr. De noir lunged for Martin but was held back by Mr. Havisham.

"Coeur you will only make matters worse," he muttered beneath his breath.

The sheriff furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth. He had always been afraid of these two families. Rumors were abundant regarding tales of witchcraft and curses. Throughout his time as sheriff, he took great caution to avoid meddling with their affairs. Even when word got around the De Noirs were hunting a small girl. So long as the Merryweathers and De Noirs kept to themselves, their actions were none of his business. But now, the De Noirs had meddled with the townsfolk, and Martin Anderson, the sheriff of Moonacre Valley, was determined to do all in his power to bring peace.  
"We are only doing our duty."

"Bollocks!" Sir Benjamin cursed throwing his arms in the air. It was the first time anyone had ever heard him curse.  
"You are arresting an innocent man and letting a child remain in danger!" Sir Benjamin stormed to Martin's face. "I will do everything in my power to get you removed once I get my son back." Sir Benjamin jabbed a finger into the sheriff's chest, pushing him back. His officers made to stop Sir Benjamin but Martin placed his hands in the air, holding his men back.

"I will be prepared for you," Martin coldly replied. "Until then, I suggest you search David's house and the De Noir Castle. You may be surprised by what you find." His men tossed David into the jail cart and left on their way.

His friends ran to him but they were blocked by the officers. "We will get you back David! I promise!" Robin shouted. David struck his fists against the metal door.

Robin sat with Henry and Richard by the manor's door. Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir had gone into the study to formulate a new plan and figure out how to free David. Henry was quiet and deep in thought. His hand rested on Richard's shoulders. Richard was stabbing the ground with a stick, cursing the officers under his breath. Robin stood and paced about the ground. He removed his hat and ran his hand through his curls. He wanted to comfort Loveday, but without any clue on Albert's whereabouts, he felt useless and knew he couldn't be of much help.  
 _And Maria, she's still furious with me,_ thought Robin. The look she gave him as she rode away was the same look he got when he called her a child. Robin placed his palms over his face and groaned. His eyes were furious as he worked hard to understand how things could have gone so wrong in so little time.

The rest of the men had scattered about. Ms. Heliotrope, Digweed, and Loveday ran around passing food to the men. He heard Ms. Heliotrope looking for Maria and her friends to come and help them.  _She's avoiding us all,_  thought Robin. But he did what needed to be done. The last thing anybody needed was to keep an eye out for her or her friends. Now with David gone, they needed all focus solely on Albert.

"Here I thought we might actually have a peaceful summer," Richard said rolling his eyes.

Robin shook his head and sat back down next to Henry. "It's all a mess." He wondered if things could have been different. Maybe if he had been with her these past few years, then at least he could've finish showing her the forest and how to track. Robin tossed a tuft of grass he had been picking at.

"It's not your fault," Henry said.

"Then why do I feel like it is?"

* * *

"You know, if we weren't hunting a monster, or if Albert weren't missing, this would be fun," Jane said.

The girls were now walking on the cavern floor. They had left the stone steps to Maria's tower behind them. Maria still had her bunch of small stones. They had yet to come across any forks or entrances to other paths.

"I can see why the monster hasn't made it to the manor. This passage is dreadfully long!" Jane continued. Cat wasn't particularly animated. The farther they walked, the more her thoughts focused on the monster and its victims. Her stomach sunk with every step. She hoped when they find Albert, the monster would not be around.

"Imagine walking this length with our skirts? At least the trousers are comfortable," Lizzy added, trying to lighten the mood. "We should explore these tunnels when we come back, and I suggest we keep these clothes for future exploration!"

"If we come back," Cat shivered.

"We will." Lizzy squeezed her hand.

Maria was too focused to pay any attention to the conversation.  _2,034…2,035…2,035…_ She was counting their steps. She believed they were close to walking about one mile, and if her few years with Robin had taught her anything, they were heading in a North East direction from her tower.  
 _That would place us in the direction of the amphitheater, or even the De Noir Castle…Hmm…_  Maria wondered if any tunnels led to the De Noir castle. It was certainly old enough to have hidden passageways.

Cat yelped and ran to Maria. She grabbed Maria and peered over her shoulders. "Maria," She whispered. There was a sense of panic in her voice. "There is someone following us."

Maria stopped and turned around, she shielded Cat with her arm. Lizzy and Jane turned as well but they couldn't see anything through the darkness.

"Cat, I'm sure it was your nerves. There's nothing there," Lizzy said shaking her head. Her sister had been paranoid since their encounter.

"No! You must believe me! I heard a low breathing, almost like a growl."

Jane and Maria frowned.

"Don't worry Cat, it may have been mice or other animals hiding down here." Maria took Cat's hand and continued down the path. She offered her friend a small smile and tried to recall the last number she was on.

A low growl echoed behind them. Maria twisted around. Her mind fully alert. She tightened her hold on the lamp. She released Cat's hand and snapped it down to the hilt of her sword.

"You heard it, didn't you?" Cat whimpered.

Maria nodded and braced herself. Jane and Lizzy heard the rumbling and each took a defensive stance. Maria set the lamp behind her and inched closer to the edge of the lamp's light.

The growling stopped. Maria strained her ears. She could hear her friend's shallow breathing. Her own heartbeat thundered through her chest. She managed to make out a slow pattering coming their way.

She unsheathed her sword. Its ring broke the silence and echoed through the cavern. The low growl began once more, growing in intensity with every second.

The pattering quickened to a trot. Maria's breathing quickened. She tightened her hold on her hilt. "Ladies, get ready!" Maria commanded.

Lizzy and Jane unsheathed their blades and stood at the ready. Lizzy had gone pale. Beads of sweat rolled down Jane's forehead.

Cat's whimpering blocked the steps.

"Cat, I can't hear it anymore," Maria said.

Cat clasped a hand over her mouth and took out her knife. She extended before. The lamps light bounced off her blade and trembled on the stone wall. Cat removed her hand from her mouth and clasped it on her wrist to stop it from shaking.

The growl grew stronger and louder. The girls covered their ears with their hands. Maria winced but held her sword steady.

The growl became a roar and shook their bones. The girls screamed as the outline of a figure came bounding their way. A roar vibrated through their bodies as it jumped over Maria and into the center of the lamp's light.

"Wrolf!" Maria cried and ran to her lion. She wrapped her arms around his mane. Wrolf turned away from Maria and issued another low growl.

Maria crouched in front of Wrolf and took his large head into her small and cold hands. He avoided her gaze, fixing his eyes on the ceiling instead. Cat sighed with relief. She felt better with Wrolf at their side.

"Wrolf, I'm sorry." Maria pleaded for forgiveness. "I didn't bring you because I thought you were needed with uncle and Loveday." Maria stroked his mane.

Wrolf growled once more and directed his yellow eyes to Maria. He nudged her with his nose, forgiving her.

"Thank you," Maria smiled.

Wrolf swished his tail and led the way through the tunnel. Maria grabbed a hold of Wrolf's locks and followed along.  _I wonder if they know we're gone yet,_ Maria mused, glad to not be in the path of her uncle's fury.

* * *

Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir were in Sir Benjamin's study. They were investigating their maps of the forest, trying to piece the two together and understand how much they still needed to search. Some of Mr. De Noir's men had been sent out to monitor all entry ways to Moonacre. Mr. De Noir was certain that along with his hawk's watchful gaze, the thieves wouldn't be leaving Moonacre without him knowing.

With every minute that passed by, Sir Benjamin's irritation grew. It became difficult for Mr. De Noir to talk sense into him. Sir Benjamin was ready to go to war for his child.

"Do you think this is related to the monster?" Richard asked breaking the silence. He and his friends were still sitting outside. They didn't want to be cooped up in a study with an angry Merryweather.

Henry shook his head. "Could be. No way to tell, that's for certain."

"From what Maria said, it was people who invaded her home, not the monster," Robin said.

"But what's to stop the monster from having any help," Richard contested crossing his arms over his chest.

"Impossible!" Robin said. "We would've known by now. The ship after all was inspected by our men…" Robin's mind raced to that day he found the ship. It was the first day he had seen Maria after so long. He had been out of sorts and he asked Mr. De Noir to send others to investigate the remains. Mr. De Noir had sent—

"—Charles." Henry stated finishing his thought.

Richard's mouth dropped open. "That day at the seaport, when David blew up on us. One of Charles' friend had a nasty scar across his face."

"And they were fighting!" Robin added. "Yesterday, Maybelle and Charles were fighting! I bet Maybelle knew all along. She may still be in the castle!"

Robin and his friends raced to the castle on horseback. They needed to catch her before she escaped.

At the gates of the De Noir castle, William kissed his mother goodbye on the cheek. William promised his parents he and Bast would return as soon as Albert was found. They waved his parents off, the dust from the carriages blocked their view of the rode.

To their wonder, the sound of galloping horses outmatched that of the carriages and headed their way. Robin broke through the dust and came charging towards William and Bast. They jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding getting struck by Robin's horse.

Without a word to either of them, Robin ran to the castle with Henry and Richard at his heels. William and Bast ran after, wondering what the emergency was. Robin easily navigated the castle to Maybelle's room.  
He banged his fists on Maybelle's door. "Maybelle open this door this instant!"  
There was no response. Robin banged the door once more and it gave way, swinging open from his force. Empty suitcases and clothes littered the floor.

Quite sobs came from the far end of the room. Maybelle was slumped in the corner. Her face was red and covered with tears. Her make-up was smeared and the front of her night dress was damped.

Robin charged towards Maybelle. She yelled in fright and tried to crawl under her bed.

Robin pulled her back by her waist. He lifted her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. "What did you and your brother do with Albert?"

"I didn't do anything I swear!" Maybelle screamed.

"But you knew, didn't you?" He shook her with every word.

Maybelle wailed and Robin pushed her on the bed. "How could you let this happen?"

By now, Richard, Henry, William, and Bast were at the door. They didn't know what to do.

"I don't know! I don't know! He wouldn't listen—he didn't care. He was only supposed to take Maria! I don't know why he took Albert!"

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell any of us?"

"Because he was supposed to take Maria! I didn't think he would do it! I didn't care for Maria and I-I- was afraid!" Maybelle stuttered. "I didn't know he would take Albert. I—I'm so sorry."

"Where is he? Where did he take Albert?"

"I don't know," Maybelle's lip quivered. Her tears fell harder.

"Liar!" Robin yelled to her face.

"Woah Robin, calm down," William said running between the two. "I think she's telling the truth."

"How would you know? She's always been a lair!" Maybelle hid her face in her hands and heaved. Her heavy sobs broke the quietness of the vacant castle.

"Get dressed," Robin ordered. "You're coming back to the manor and telling everyone what you know."

Maybelle sniffed and nodded her head. Across the hall, Robin threw himself against Charles' door and opened it. The boys inspected Charles room while she changed. His room was empty, almost unused.

Maybelle rode behind Robin on his horse. Her bodice was hastily tied and her sleeve fell loose off her shoulder. Her hair stuck to her face, held on by her tears. Her up-do was disheveled and loose hair stuck out at odd ends. The ride's silence was broken by her weeping.

"I thought you both were supposed to leave this morning," Henry remarked to William.

"I spoke to my parents, I believe its best we stay and add to the man power."

Robin grated his teeth. Though he didn't want William around, they needed all the help they could get.

"Where is David?" Asked Bast.

Robin's face harden. "The sheriffs took him."

"Hang on, what? What is going on here?"

"They're blaming him for the disappearances" Henry explained. "The townsfolk are getting worried and they needed to blame it on someone."

"That's ridiculous!"

The boys arrived at the manor to find things no better than before.

Loveday was sitting at the piano, her face tear strained and all light gone from her eyes. Ms. Heliotrope was crying, trying to give Loveday hope. Sir Benjamin was now shouting with Coeur, neither agreeing on what the next course of action should be. Coeur was beginning to worry, there had yet to be word from Dulac.

Robin helped Maybelle dismount from his stallion. He steered her towards the study, past the curious stares.

"She knows what happened to Albert," Robin said pushing Maybelle on to a chair and interrupting the two men. She winced from the impact.

Sir Benjamin glared at her, "what is it that you know? Tell us!"

Maybelle whimpered and looked about the room. Loveday had made her way to the door. Her blue eyes penetrated to her soul.

"Look at me here girl and tell me what has happened to my son!"

Maybelle yelped at the words.

"Now Benjamin calm yourself—" Mr. De Noir tried to say.

"You are a bloody De Noir! Out of all the people to tell me how to behave you shouldn't be one of them."

"Benjamin, please" Loveday beg. She was in as much pain as her husband but his yelling was scaring Maybelle into silence.

"No! I will not stop until my child is in my arms! Now girl, you will tell me where my son is or I will force it out of you." Sir Benjamin's eyes were livid.

"I—I don't know," Maybelle replied timidly through her tears. She was dreading his reaction.

Sir Benjamin slammed his hand on the table. "Do you think me a fool?"

"No, no! It wasn't supposed to happen like this," Maybelle cried her eyes wide as she tried to back into the chair. "He wanted Maria! I told him to stop! I didn't know he would take Albert. I don't know why he took Albert."

"Who, who took Albert?" Loveday ran to Maybelle and took her by the shoulders. "Please Maybelle tell us."

"Ch—Charles."

"What?" Mr. De Noir stammered. "Why in the devil would he do such a thing?"

"I don't know!" Maybelle wailed. Tears streaming down her face. "I don't know what's gotten into Charles. He—he wasn't happy with peace. But suddenly, he—he became obsessed. All he would talk about was Robin and Maria. And then he started going on about some monster."

William and Bast looked incredulously between Maybelle and the Merryweathers. They could not believe how quickly the situation continued to spiral out of control. They believed Maybelle had lost her mind.

"What do you know of a monster?" Sir Benjamin asked to the surprise of the boys. They were actually believing her.

"I don't know!" Maybelle wept. "He wouldn't tell me. He said I wasn't on his side. All he mentioned was a monster in the tunnels."

"Heavens no wonder we can't find Albert, they've gone underground!" Mr. Havisham said.

"It's where Dulac and his men went…" Mr. De Noir blanched.

"What is going on?" William asked cutting in. "What do you all mean by a monster–"

"Ms. Heliotrope, bring in Maria!" Sir Benjamin directed ignoring William.

"I'll explain later," Robin said under his breath.

Ms. Heliotrope came running in. She was wringing her hands and beads of sweat caused her glasses to slide down her nose. "I uh I—I can't find Maria, or—or her friends."

Loveday's eyes widened. She paled and tightened her hold on Maybelle's shoulders.

"What do you mean you can't find them?" Sir Benjamin coldly responded. There was a dangerous edge to his voice. It was the voice of a man about to break.

* * *

Maria came to a stop. They had just reached a fork in the path. The first one. She set one of their torches on the ground and hung the lamp on it.

"What are we going to do?" Asked Lizzy. She sat down on the ground and crossed her legs, satisfied that she was able to do that in trousers.

"I'm not sure. We've walked a straight path up to this fork." Maria said pacing between the two entrances. "I think we have to split up."

"Of course not!" Jane and Cat shouted in unison.

"It won't be for long!" Maria said. "I'll go with Wrolf down this path, and you three can go down the other. We'll walk for 500 steps, then come back and report what we find. It'll only be a couple of minutes!"

Lizzy sighed and rested her finger on her chin. "That does sound like a good idea. Alright, then."

Lizzy lit a lamp and took Cat by the hand.

"Be careful!" Jane shouted behind her. Together, the girls walked into the second tunnel and Maria watched the light slowly fade away.

"Alright Wrolf, lets gets on with this," Maria hoisted her bag over her shoulder and followed Wrolf into the first tunnel, counting her steps in her head.

* * *

Sir Benjamin roared and cleared the table with his fists. "And you let them go?" He bellowed slamming his fists on the table.

"Benjamin! You know Maria, there was no stopping her!" Loveday yelled back with tears in her eyes. By now the De Noirs and Merryweather household had formed a wide perimeter away from the feuding couple. William and Bast were wide eye and more confused than ever.

Robin was just as mad as Sir Benjamin and bit his tongue to stop himself from lashing out at his own sister.

"How did with miss them," Sir Benjamin kicked the chair and pushed a drawer on to the ground. He slumped on the wall, bringing his hands to his face. There were tears in his eyes. No words could describe the rage and pain he felt inside from now losing Maria as well. "We were everywhere. How did no one see them escape?" His voice was strained and becoming hoarse from all his yelling.

"They left through the passageway in her room—"

"Her room?"

"Yes Benjamin! Her room," Loveday snapped. "If you had spent more time talking to her, you may have learned that from her yourself!"

"Wait a moment, what is going on?" William shouted interrupting the fight. "Thieves, monsters, hidden passageways? Just what in God's name is going on here?"

"Yes a monster!" Robin spat losing his temper. Robin knew he shouldn't be taking out his irritation on William, but he blamed William for the appearance of the monster in the first place.

"Monsters don't exist!" William retorted.

"Oh right like we'll believe that, it came abroad on your ship!" Robin shoved William against the wall. William lunged for Robin, grabbing him by the front of his jacket. Robin punched William in the side and William kneed Robin's gut. Bast and Henry quickly jumped in and pulled the two away.

"That doesn't make any bloody sense!" William yelled, pulling on Bast to meet Robin face to face. "We inspected that blasted thing and found no survivors, much less any sign of a monster!"

"Liar! You're just looking to save your arses!" Robin barked back.

"William, did you find any bodies with their torsos torn open?" Henry's cold and deep voice cut in. His icy blue eyes intently studied William, looking for any sign of deceit.

"I—wh—of course n—" William hesitated thinking hard. His eyes widened as he uttered, "yes…Even the captain was gutted." His voice dropped in recognition.

"There you go," Henry sighed and shook his head.

"Charles must have gotten to the monster before the Harrison's did." Richard explained and ran his hand along the growing stubble on his cheeks. "Would explain why he was so bent on burning the bodies."

Sir Benjamin stood and walked towards Loveday. He pulled her to him and engulfed her in a loving hug. "I'm sorry, love. I shouldn't have expected any less of Maria and I shouldn't have blamed you."

Loveday sniffed and took Sir Benjamin's face into her hands. "We'll get them back. Both of them."

Mr. De Noir cleared his throat and placed the map back on the table. "Change of plans," he grunted. "David, Maria, her friends, Dulac, and his men are all missing. Seems the best course of action is to go through the tunnels. Robin, you've been there, where are the entrances and where do they lead?"

Robin straightened the chair and marked four spots on the map. "As far as we know, there are four entrances." Robin pinpointed to the four marked locations. "The first is at the Moon Princess' dwelling- where Dulac and his men went; the second entrance is through Loveday's dwelling- currently blocked after our encounter with the monster; the third is through Maria's room; and the final one is through the amphitheater."

"We'll split up. Some men will continue searching through the forest. We will not let anyone leave Moonacre. Sir Benjamin, Marmaduke, Digweed, and I will enter through the amphitheater. Loveday, Ms. Heliotrope, and Havisham, I need you three to stay here and keep watch over Maybelle and incase the girls come back. Boys, you all can follow Maria and her friends though her tunnel or go through the forest." Mr. De Noir's commands were met with agreement.

"Does anybody know how this bloody monster looks?" Sir Benjamin added.

William walked around the room, "Maria's questions at the wedding, now it all makes sense. I just remembered something. From the wreckage we found a journal. Most of the writing had been washed away, but there was a sketch..." William picked up parchment and a quill from the floor and got to work drawing the sketch he had seen. It was of the monster.  
"I thought it was a simple drawing the sailors made to past time. There was no other information about it."

William slid the paper towards Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir who eyed it warily. The hood had been pulled back, revealing a pale and gaunt monstrous face. The eyes were solid and dark, almost reptilian. Its mouth was open, emitting a silent scream and lined with sharp teeth. The arms were long and bony, its hands were made up of three taloned fingers.

"That's a good sketch," Henry commented.

"You should see the portraits he's drawn of Maria," Bast sniggered to the amusement of Richard and Henry. William scowled and lightly punched Bast in the arm.

Robin, who couldn't draw anything except maps, rolled his eyes and ignored the comment.

"A cursed harpy," Mr. De Noir murmured under his breath. "I think I know what this creature is."

"Great, you can tell us about it on our way," Sir Benjamin replied.

"Let's go get Maria," William said jumping to his feet and making his way out to the hall.

Robin and his friends caught up to William. "Not so fast," Robin said grasping William's arm and holding him back. He wore a roguish smile and there was a glint of mischief in his eye. "I think we're a bit short on hands to be dealing with a demon harpy. First, we got a mate to bust."


	23. A Rumble and A Trap

_498, 499, 500._  
"Here we are Wrolf, the five-hundredth step." Maria set her lamp on the ground and took a look around her. If her mental compass was correct, she was sure the path had taken a turn to the west.  _This would place us…. In the direction of the forest! Or so I think._  
Maria and Wrolf had walked by two small deviations from the path, though both had been quite narrow. Maria was just able to shimmy through the stone to take a look inside the entrances. She was sure no monster, much less three thieves and a child could fit through those.

At the thought of Albert her heart tightened. She needed to find him.

"Wrolf, we should go back and gather the girls. I have a feeling this is the path we need to go through." Maria took off into a fast walk, fueled by a sense of urgency. Wrolf silently trotted along her side. His ears were perched high over his black mane and his nose was hard at work.

The path winded back towards the east and Maria found herself back at the fork. She sat down on the cold, hard, ground and shrugged off her coat. She fanned herself and wiped the sweat off her forehead. She began formulating a plan with Wrolf.

"Wrolf, we know at least three thieves broke into our home and stole Albert. I was able to fight off one of them…" Maria's thoughts went back to her first summer in Moonacre. Despite multiple attempts, none of the De Noir boys were able to kidnap her. It wasn't until Dulac and Mr. De Noir became involved, that they were able to capture her.

"That must mean they have little experience. What do you think Wrolf?"

Wrolf looked to her and snorted. She would take that as yes.

"I believe with us four, we can take down the thieves. Though the monster, that is another question…" Maria stood and paced the floor. "The monster is currently weakened from its travels. It must be searching for the Moon Pearls to recover its power. It only makes sense. It also seems to be hurt by fire. Though I haven't tried other methods," Maria said out loud.

"Maria!" called out Cat from within the other path. "You were right! We think this trail leads straight to the De Noir castle!"

"How do you know?"

"We arrived at a dead end," Jane answered. "Above us, the stone had a rooster carved into it. It may be the entrance, though we couldn't find a way to open it."

"It was similar to the one at their library doors!" Lizzy added. "We couldn't find any footprints. I believe it's safe to assume the De Noirs don't know of it!"

Maria nodded her head, "That narrows our choice. We should go down the trail I went through. It takes a sharp turn to the west, I believe it leads to the forest."

Cat blew out the lamp she was holding, they needed to conserve their light. The tunnels were quickly growing. Maria now understood why the thieves chose to hide underground. It was a large network of channels with plenty of hiding places.

Maria hurried on towards the passageway. Wrolf and her friends followed in silence. They weren't walking for long when the stillness was broken by Lizzy's rumbling stomach.

"Oh excuse me!" Lizzy yelped.

"Actually, its about time we ate," Jane grinned. She passed each of the girls a few biscuits and a sandwich.

"Let's continue moving. I don't want to use up more time," Maria urged them forwards. She wasn't hungry so she gave Wrolf her sandwich and stuffed her biscuits into her bag. Her remorse muffled out any hunger she was feeling.  _Marmaduke was right,_ Maria sighed with regret.  _If I hadn't been so prideful, perhaps Robin and I could have mapped the cavern and its entrances long ago. Then finding Albert would have been much easier._

"We should hurry," Maria said quickening her pace. "It's been too long already."

* * *

"This is absolutely ridiculous," William complained.

"It's better than barging in like a bunch of barbarians," Bast muttered.

"It won't work I'm telling you. Why don't we simply bribe the guards? Or better yet, pay his fee like the sensible gentlemen we are. Oh, that's right, the only sensible human here is me!" William snapped.

Henry stuck out his hand and stopped Robin from charging at William. "Not now Robin," Henry growled below his breath. Tensions were high, and he was sure William was speaking more out of fear than actual hate. William had spent the ride fidgeting and worrying about dishonoring his family's name with Robin's plan.

Robin shook his head and let out a snort, "they won't let him go."

"And just why is that? They seem fairly sensible, and money always does the trick!"

"The town believes David's at fault," Henry explained. "So long as Albert remains missing, they'll never let him go."

"Those gits just want someone to blame," Richard muttered.

"Then why don't you all do it?" William asked.

Robin rolled his eyes, "alright, I'll just waltz right in and ask to see my mate. They know who  _we_  are!" Robin gestured towards his friends. "They know who  _I_  am! I'll be lucky if they even let me see him," Robin said ending the argument.

They tied their horses behind the sheriff's building. It was a medium brick building at the outskirts of Silverydew. Moonacre had a small population and had little use for a jailhouse. The few times it had been used were to punish outsiders who came to steal from unsuspecting villagers or the occasional drunk who had caused trouble.

"Do you all remember the plan?" Robin asked studying his companions.

"Richard and I are going cause a distraction," Henry said.

"William and I are going to go into the building and find David," Bast answered. William rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.  _This plan is stupid,_ William thought.  _It won't work!_

"And I'll stay here by the horses in case we run into trouble," Robin said patting the gun on his holster.

William paled and Bast stuttered, "y—you don't intend on shooting David out, do you?"

Robin sighed and shook his head, "of course not. That would only make matters worse. Though it would be easiest, never did like the lot…" Robin added a sly smile that caused the two young men to gulp. Henry scowled and waved Robin away, struggling to hide his smirk.

"We'll see you lads in a bit!" Richard laughed and ran off towards the town center, dragging Henry with him.

William fixed his hair and straighten his riding coat. Bast eagerly went to the doors. Unlike William, Bast was excited. This was the start of an exciting adventure, just like the ones he read in the books. Besides, Maria was a good friend to him and he wanted to do all he could to help her and Robin.

Bast was about to push open the door when William grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "Bast, they'll recognize us."

"William honestly, will you relax? They don't even know who we are."

"No, but if they come searching for David and see us, they'll know we broke him out!"

Bast's smile fell and he looked around him. William frowned as Bast suddenly ran to the hat store without another word to him. William groaned and followed Bast across the street.

He was at the counter paying for his purchase.

"What are you—ugh Bast!"

Bast squashed a deerstalker hat onto William's head and pushed him back towards the Sheriff's building. He placed a top hat on himself.

"Why do I have to wear this ridiculous thing?" William protested.

"It matches your riding coat."

William grumbled to himself. Bast hadn't packed enough riding clothes and was wearing a black frock coat over a pressed buttoned shirt and black trousers. He looked professional and the top hat did suit him better.

They stepped into a simple office room. On one end sat an officer by a desk and on the opposite end was a row of benches outlining the three walls. Another officer was fast sleep with his hat over his eyes. He was laid out across the bench with one leg swinging over the side. There was a small window above the sleeping officer. Bast caught site of Robin peeking through the window's corner.

A door was bolted shut behind the desk. The officer eyed the two young men warily. "Officer Davis at your service. What can I do for you?" His brown mustache wiggled as he spoke.

William tentatively stepped to the front. He adjusted his cap. "I—erm—my colleague and I are here business."

"Business eh? What sort of business?" The officer asked scrunching his eyebrows.

"We erm…" William trailed off surveying the room and searching for a worthy excuse.

Bast's face fell and he face-palmed. William was the worst at theater, how could he have expected him to take charge here.

The officer shook his head and puffed a breath, waving his mustache in the air. "We are busy at the moment come again another time."

"I'm afraid we can't do that my good man!" Bast said stepping forwards. "Excuse my colleague Officer Davis. He's new," Bast said narrowing his eyes at William and nudging him back.

"My name's Doctor Watson and this here is my associate—er—Harris, Inspector Harris."

Bast took a step closer. "We are here on an official business from the magistrate and demand to inspect the premises!" He slammed down a piece of parchment with scribbled notes.

William craned his neck over Bast's shoulders and recognized the sealed. It was the seal for Porter's, Maria's school. He snickered under his breath. He was sure it was a letter from Bast's mother.

Bast waved the piece of paper in the officer's face then quickly stored it away before the officer could have a better look.

"Doctor? You look a bit young to be a doctor." The officer suspiciously noted.

Bast huffed and puffed his chest out. "Too young you say? Don't you know genius and brilliance have no age? Now, we demand an inspection of the building and the prisoner's cells or we shall call upon the magistrate himself and have you all sacked!"

"Why would we need expecting? Never heard of that in my entire career!"

"Mandatory inspections have been placed into effect after three, THREE, escape attempts throughout England," Bast said placing three fingers in front of the officer's face. "Two of which resulted in a total of five prisoners escaping!"

"I'll have you know our prisoners are under constant surveillance and not one has ever escaped!"

Bast forced a laugh. "Then you clearly live in blissful ignorance! The magistrate warned me about this. Said you country folks were difficult to work with—

The officer glared at Bast. "Us  _country-folk_ are just as civilized as you city-folk and have adequate prison cells. Our only difference is we don't have our knickers in a twist all the time."

Bast stood on his toes and met the officer's glare, "If that's truly the case, then I don't see the problem with allowing the inspection to go forth."

The officer blanched as he realized the trap he walked himself into, "follow me."

The officer pushed himself off his desk and mumbled a few choice words at the inconvenience and intrusion 'Dr. Watson' and 'Inspector Harris' were causing.

"Why would a magistrate need a doctor to inspect prisons?" The officer asked over his shoulder.

Bast teetered on his toes, taken by surprise. "I am specialized doctor!" He said quickly rising to the defense. "I've specialized in the science of forensics. Such as crime scenes and inspecting dead bodies through autopsies. One escape attempt involved a dead corpse."

The officer narrowed his eyes. He was sure Doctor Watson was related to some official in the government. How else could one explain a young 'forensics doctor' such as Watson. Officer Davis shook his head and muttered something about riding on someone's coattails.  
Bast smugly fixed his coat and followed Officer Davis through the door. William trudged behind. He was shocked the plan seemed to be working and was surprised by Bast's quick defensive skills. He had never seen Bast be confrontational with anyone. Of all his friends, Bast was the one who chose to get by life with a simple nod of his head. It's why he was so popular at Rutger's, Bast simply got along with everyone.

Robin, crept through the door, past the sleeping officer. He crouched low and went behind the desk, searching for the keys.  
He found a ring of keys hanging by a hook underneath the desk. He took them and stuffed them in his pocket. Stepping lightly, he went back outside to await Richard's and Henry's signal. He wasn't sure what it would be but he trusted his friends.

Richard and Henry came running towards Robin. Both were red in the face and breathing hard. Richard had a beaming smile in his face. Henry's hair was blown aside from the wind, revealing his worried eyes.

"Why do you look so happy?" There was a strange smell coming off his friends, like that of singed hair.

"You know," Richard said in between breaths, "that vacant store?"

"The one the Johnsons used to own?"

"Yes—"

"—Richard said it on fire." Henry stated. Richard beamed proudly.

"You what?"

"Set it on fire."

"Richard! Someone could get hurt! Or worst, we'll end up locked up with David!"

Richard waved his hand in the air dismissing Robin, "relax good ol' Robin. The building was empty, and no one saw us. They were too busy running around like chickens without heads!" Richard laughed at this last bit.

A fisherman came running towards them. The De Noir gang shuffled behind the building to hide.

"Fire! Fire! There's a fire!" He shouted. The sleeping officer woke up with a start and ran out along with the rest of the police.

"Where?" They asked.

"Across town!"

Officer Davis escorted William and Bast back out to the front. He locked the door to the prisoners with a cautious look to the 'inspectors'. He was sure something was off.

The De Noir boys hurried inside once the officers left. William was red and ready to explode, "you set fire to a building?"

Bast struggled to hold his laughter.

Richard casually shrugged his shoulders.

Shaking his head, Robin cut in, "where's David?"

Bast jerked his head to the bolted door. "Afraid the door's locked."

Robin smiled and jingled the ring of keys he swiped, "let's get on with this."

Bast led them to David's cell. The cells were hot and stuffy from the summer heat. David's jacket and bowler hat were hastily thrown on a bench inside with him. His face brightened as his friends rushed over to him.

"Sorry to cut your holiday short," Richard greeted with a wink. "I'm sure its the best holiday you've had in years!"

David rolled his eyes, "oh shut it will you? Hurry up and just let me out, its hot in here."

"Is that how you greet your saviors?" Richard brought a hand to his heart and pretended to be hurt.

With a clink and heavy thud, the lock fell to the floor. The door creaked open and the boys ran out of the building.

"Hurry! We need to find Albert and Maria!" Robin shouted jumping on his horse and galloping back to Moonacre forest.

* * *

Maria's eyes were tightly shut. "This way!" She pointed to the path on the left.

Lizzy quickly stepped into the other two trails and scanned the entrances. "How can you tell? We can split up and inspect them again."

"No, there's no time!" Maria said. There was a small panic in her voice. "I—I just know. There's a feeling in my heart. We should go down this way."

Wrolf purred in approval and led the way to the new tunnel. Maria took care to drop the stones a fair distance apart. She didn't want to run out too soon.

The stone trail remained unchanged, though the path took a few turns. There was a particularly narrow section where the girls had to scoot though on their side. The girls silently thanked their outfits. They would have never managed to slide through in their hoops and dresses.

The path ahead widened and cracks appeared through the cavern wall. Roots broke through the cracks and thickened further down the trail. Maria was sure they were now under the forest.

Wrolf slowed down. A low growl came from within his chest.

"Girls, get behind Wrolf and me! Quick!"

The girls hurried over and quietly unsheathed their weapons.

Wrolf's claws protruded from his large round paws and he crouched low. He moved forward, growling and warning any danger to stay away.

The girls followed. Beyond the light, shadowed figures clumped together on the floor. Light reflected off of a dark substance.

Cat gagged, she recognized a smell that penetrated the air.

"Maria," she whimpered through her whisper. "That's blood over there." She pointed a pale shaking hand to where the dark substance flowed.

Maria gulped. Wrolf's growl grew louder and he leapt towards the figures.

"Wrolf!" Maria ran after. She reached the figures and gasped.

Dulac was slumped against the wall bleeding from a cut along his head and a deep gash that tore through his side.

Around him we're similarly injured guards.

* * *

"Robin, what's the plan now?" Bast asked. Robin remained silent. He was still thinking.

"I reckon we ought to start where Dulac's men went," Henry suggested.

"They're strong. Best guards the De Noirs have ever known. But they've always sent word about their whereabouts. Something's wrong. I agree we should start there," Robin said.

"And Maria?" William asked riding besides Bast.

Robin frowned. "We've got to trust they know what they're doing. Albert's our priority at the moment. He's completely defenseless. Maria can take care of herself until we get to them. "

"Yeah those girls are something else. We've all been exposed to a fair share of their feistiness," Richard remarked.

Henry nudged Robin's torn sleeve.

Robin managed a small smile, his mind still on Albert and Maria.

* * *

They were frozen in shock. Wrolf walked between the injured, inspecting the guards and the area.

Maria forced her mind to work and her legs to move. She ran to Dulac and placed two fingers along his throat.

"I think he's still breathing! Lizzy the antidote please!"

Lizzy hurried over. She placed two drops along the cut on his head, and six along the gash in his torso.

His skin began to steam and bubble until it closed. There was no reaction from Dulac.

"Is he still alive?" Cat squeaked.

"I felt a beat. You and Lizzy inspect the others. Heal those that are alive. Jane help me with Dulac."

"I know just the thing." She fished through her bag and produced a large dark bottle. Jane pored dark liquid to his mouth. Dulac awoke coughing and gagging. He sputtered the liquid back out.

"Miss Merryweather?" He looked about groggily.

"What was that?" Maria whispered to Jane.

"I swiped a bottle of rum from Marmaduke's kitchen," She answered sheepishly.

"Dulac what happened?"

Dulac coughed, "we were ambushed. Bloody bastards were expecting us. Killed a few of us. You girl's best leave back to the manor. The monster's no play thing. Bloody thing flung us around like dolls."

"It wasn't just the monster?"

Dulac shook his head. "Albert was with the thieves, couldn't catch a glimpse of them. The monster did all the work while they ran away."

"Where did they go?"

"There's a path up ahead, from where they charged us." Maria helped Dulac stand. "I reckon we can still track them. How long has it been?"

"It was a little past noon when we left."

Dulac ran a hand down his face. "We should hurry. Down this way." He limped back to the path. "I would recommend you girls to go back to the manors, but I doubt you'd listen."

"That's right."

"Alright, best you ladies stay in the center. Let the men remain surrounding you. We know what to expect now."  
"Jacob!" Dulac barked looking over his shoulder.

A young man limped towards Dulac. He held his arm to his chest. It was broken.

"Round up the men who can't fight and head back to Coeur. Warn them of what's happened."

A round of protest came from the injured. They did not want to leave the fight.

"I'll hear none of that!" Dulac barked silencing the protests. "You're not fit to fight and I won't be bringing food for the beast!"

Jacob solemnly nodded and he left to gather the injured. Maria and her friends scooted behind Dulac as the remaining guards surrounded them.

With no time to waste, Dulac hurried along, taking the girls and his men through the tunnels. While they walked Jane rationed out the food she had brought to the group. She realized none of Dulac's company hadn't eaten. They didn't stop until they arrived to a fork in the path.

Dulac crouched low and inspected the dirt beneath their feet. The footsteps they were following diverged towards the two paths. "They knew we'd follow." Dulac gestured to the two sets of prints, one in each direction.

"We'll split up here. John, you take 6 men with you down the left. If you come across anything, send one of yours to come get us and stand your ground until we get there!"

John and his men nodded and went down the other passageway.

Dulac looked to the girls and his men. He glanced at their weapons and noted the girls' attire.  
"Its about to get rough out there. No matter what happens, don't leave the group. We're better off huddling close. And girls, stay in the middle." Dulac turned and marched down the rightmost trail. He was relieved Maria and her friends had been tactical and prepared for this mission.

* * *

"Robin, what's the purpose of these tunnels? Who built them?" Bast asked. They were following Robin through the tunnels. He held a torch above his head and moved quickly.

"I don't know," he answered. "The De Noirs and Merryweathers are the oldest families in this valley. But before the land was ours, it belonged to a monastery. The tunnels date as far back to them."

Up head, Robin caught site of movement heading their way. "Who goes there?"

"Robin? It's Jacob!" The guard croaked.

Robin ran to him. The young guard had one arm in a sling and the other supporting an injured guardsmen. His face was bruised and bloodied. He was followed by four other guards.

"What happened?"

"We were attacked. They were expecting us. The monster protected the thieves who ran down that way with Albert. A few of us didn't make it. Their bodies are over in the other direction. If it weren't for Ms. Merryweather, we'd all still be knocked down."

"Maria? She was here."

Jacob nodded. "Her and her friends managed to heal some of us. They went down with Dulac after Albert."

"Thanks Jacob, go down to the Merryweather Manor. You will all get taken care of there. Father and Sir Benjamin are at the old amphitheater."

* * *

Dulac and his group marched down the path with determination and speed. Though Dulac grimaced with every step, he limped along, not letting his pain hold him back.

Dulac grunted and stopped. Wrolf stealthily walked to the front, issuing a low growl. The black lion bristled, sending his mane high into the air.

"Wrolf, what's wrong?" Cat whispered. She felt the air around them tense.

The hairs behind Maria's neck rose and chills ran down her spine.

Dulac held his hand up in the air and ushered everyone to stay silent. Maria lowered her lamp to the ground. She placed her hands on her weapons. The girls did the same.

A cold chill swept through the tunnel and a sense of anguish filled the air. The girls' heart was gripped with fear. The air about them seemed to grow heavy with every breath. Maria felt like she was slowly suffocating.

"It's here!" Cat screamed pointing up ahead. She wrapped an arm around Lizzy who was frozen with fear.

The lamps light faintly illuminated a cloaked figure floating their way.

The first thing Maria noticed were the glowing red eyes. The same red eyes that haunted her nightmares. The same red eyes that tried to kill her and her friends. The monster's eyes permeated the darkness and challenged Maria.

It raised its taloned hand straight to Dulac who was still protectively standing in front of Maria and her friends. Maria knew what it was about to do.

"Get out of the way!" She shouted pushing Dulac away and leaping to the side. The girls ducked as a flash of green light narrowly missed Dulac's chest.

The creature screamed and the ground below them started to tremble.

Maria reached for her knives and balanced herself, crouching on all fours.

"We know why you're here!" She shouted. The creature sneered at her with sharp rotting teeth.

She raised one of her knives and ran at the monster.

The monster shot another spell, this time aimed at Maria who was drawing nearer.  
Maria ducked away. She tossed her knife at the creature, scraping its side.  
The monster roared and a loud rumbling sound surrounded her. The stone around her began to crumble. Rocks and debris pelted her from all sides, forcing her to crouch low. Gun shots echoed through the rumble as Dulac took aim at the creature. The creature stumbled but cast a spell that threw Dulacs's gun to the floor. The rest of his men took action, shooting the monster with their guns. The monster screamed and released a force that flung the guards and Maria's friends backwards.

Maria raised her sword and lunged once more to the monster. Maria screamed as her foot fell through the ground. The wind rushed out of her lungs as she felt herself tumbling.

Maria tried to call for help, reaching for her friends above her. She continued to fall, her body hitting the sides of the pit. She hit the cavern floor with a sickening crack. A shrill laughter pierced the air and she heard her friends screaming her name as her vision went black.

* * *

"Robin watch out!" Henry shouted pushing Robin out of the way. The stone around them began to break and fall towards Henry. David just as quickly grabbed Henry by the jacket and pulled him back, away from the crumbling stone.

"That was close!" Bast gasped. "What was that?"

The De Noir boys straightened themselves out and looked about them. A piece of the wall had given in and partially blocked the passage way.  
"The monster. We're nearby," David responded.

They all worked together to remove the rubble and clear the path.

They were well on their way, with Robin in the lead and Henry close behind, when the girls' screams echoed through the cavern from far ahead. The ground's shaking resumed and intensified. The boys bounced against the wall and fought hard to remain upright.

_BOOM!_

A loud crashing blast broke through the thunderous roar. It was cut through by a piercing scream Robin recognized.

"Maria!" Robin yelled sprinting in the direction of the crash.

* * *

Cold water splashed onto her face and Maria shuddered awake. She was tied to a stake, knee-deep into water. A large wave rolled over her, pushing and pulling her against the stake. She gasped in pain as the salt water washed over her stinging injuries.

Maria groaned. She felt warm liquid trickle down her temple. There was a throbbing pain from where she hit her head. She tried to look around, but the sun was too bright and her vision was blurred. The world seemed to be spinning. She couldn't focus.  _What happened to me?_  Maria asked herself. She couldn't remember much. She just remembered falling and her friends screaming.  _Dear God, I hope they're alright._  
Out in the distance, a piercing wail rang in her ears. Her headache intensified and she clenched her jaw. Maria shivered from the cold ocean water and shut her eyes, wishing for the crying and pain to go away.

 _Crying…Albert!_ Maria forced open her eyes and squinted across the blinding sun into the sand. She shook her head, forcing her vision to clear and straighten itself. By the cliffs was a shallow cave. She could make out a small, wooden makeshift cage. Albert sat inside. His large blue eyes were red and swollen. Tears flowed down his face. He sucked his thumb and called out to Maria.

"Mia!" he wailed. His crying escalated when he spotted her wriggling against her bonds.

"Albert," Maria tried to call to him, but her voice was hoarse, merely a whisper. "Albert! Please don't cry, I'm here for you," she croaked, her dried throat itched and her parched lips stung with pain.

"Hardly," a cold voice caused her stomach to sink.

She squinted over her shoulder and her heart twisted with anger. Charles was standing above her with a gun in his hand.


	24. Unanswered Questions, A Never-ending Search

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized I named two characters John... There's Dulac's man named John, and then there's Charles' friend- Sorry!

The ground stopped trembling. Silence. Robin felt a chill pierce his heart with dread.

"Maria!" He heard Cat's scream from somewhere ahead. He ran with all his strength, using Cat's cries to find his way. His torch's light struggled to illuminate the path, flickering as he ran, but Robin hardly noticed. His eyes had long ago accommodated to the dark. Behind him followed the rest of the boys, their steps echoed through the stone walls. William was close behind.

They came around a bend and saw the De Noir guards scrambling on to their feet. Their Lamps and torches were scattered about the path, illuminating the area with broken patches of light.  
Lizzy was supporting Cat on her shoulder, Cat looked about ready to feint. Jane stood farther ahead, gawking down at the sinkhole before her. The hole was large and took out much of the path. It was too wide to jump across.

Maria was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?" Robin called, running towards them.

Cat hiccupped as she tried to answer. "The Mon—monster, it caused the earth to shake. Then the ground crumbled. She f—fell through!"

"What do you mean?" Robin rushed to the edge of the hole. The pit was dark and deep. Then he heard it, water. The hole led to an underground river.

"Wh—what happened?" Asked William.

"We went on our own to find Albert and Maria. Wrolf was with us too. We took the tunnels from Maria's room, that's how we found Dulac and the rest of guards. They were hurt… But we kept searching. Those who still could, joined us." Lizzy paused, before continuing, choosing her words carefully. "I think it was expecting us. I think the monster was waiting for us. When Maria tried to attack it, the monster cast a spell to make the ground fall. Almost as if it were a trap. She and Wrolf were the only ones to fall."

"Then the monster went after her. I think it flew in…" Jane's voice trailed away as she added to Lizzy's explanation.

Robin crouched low to the pit's edge. His torch's light wavered off the flowing stream down below. It was still too dark to make out any figure or form. Even if there was enough light though, Robin was sure the current was strong enough to have dragged her away. Maria was still not the best swimmer, he needed to get to her as soon as possible! He leaned, ready to jump in after her, but Dulac and Henry lunged after him. They grabbed him by his jacket and arms, and pulled him back.

"What are you thinking? You don't know what's down there!" Henry snapped dragging him away from the hole. "It could be a trap! They could all be waiting for you!"

"I have to get to her!" Robin yelled struggling against Henry's hold. "She can't swim!"

"What in the devil are you talking about!" Dulac reprimanded him.

"The pit falls into a river! Maria could drown!" He shouted.

"Robin, stop!" Henry yelled back. "Even so she won't be down there! She and Wrolf must have been carried far now. Trust that Wrolf's taking care of her!"

"The monster was alone," Jane said, drawing their attention. Jane was pale, and her bun had come loose. She walked to the edge and picked up a dusty brown cap, it was Maria's. "I think it's taking her to the thieves—"

"It's Charles," Robin interrupted, shrugging off Henry's hold. "Charles and his friends are the thieves."

Dulac cursed, though some of the guards shifted their eyes.

"How long have they been working together?" Asked Jane.

"Likely since the day we met at the port," Richard answered. "Reckon that's where the gash on John's face came from."

The girls weakly nodded, recalling that day.

Lizzy sighed, "Well, they weren't here. I think the monster solely intended to capture Maria. I'm sure it's meeting them up elsewhere."

"She fell down hard," Cat said, sounding as if she were in a daze. "What if—what if she's hurt, or worse?"

"No! She's fine. She's got to be," Robin countered. He refused to believe otherwise.

"We have to go back to the manor, regroup, and share what we know," Henry said. "Loveday would appreciate some news."

Robin shared a look with Henry. Henry's eyes furrowed in frustration, immediately understanding what Robin was about to do. He lunged for Robin but missed as Robin leapt to the side. "You're in charge mate, tell Loveday I'll bring them back, I promise!" He ran and jumped into the pit, leaving behind a baffled group.

Henry groaned, "Stupid git!"

William and Bast looked to one another, seemingly at a loss of what to do next. Their heads were still struggling to understand the day's events. As if the shipwreck and kidnapping weren't enough, they now had to deal with a very real monster. A monster that now had both Albert and Maria in its clutches. William felt sick. Though he hadn't even known of the monster's existence before today, the very thought that it had arrived on one of his family's ships, made him feel at fault. He had to do something.

"Well, Maria and Albert need help…." William said taking a few steps back towards the pit. "… And I don't know about you lot, but I'm not about to let Robin be the only hero. After all, surely you don't believe he can go at it alone." With a salute towards Henry, William jumped into the pit, leaving behind a gapping Bast.

Jane too tried to sneak her way to the hole, but Richard snuck up behind and snaked an arm around her shoulders. "Slippery aren't you? You're not following those idiots."

"Leave me be Richard! I want to help!"

Richard scoffed, "Valiant I'm sure, but your hip can't take the fall!"

As the group was distracted with Richard and Jane, Bast also tried to make his way to the pit. He didn't make it far before Henry grabbed him by the collar.  
"Now you wait a minute! Not another one of you will go down there. Last thing we need is more missing people. Let's go."

Henry dragged a protesting Bast back to the Manor. He was soon followed by the rest of the group. Richard kept his arm around Jane, he didn't trust her to follow along.

Cat stayed by the hole, looking down below.

Lizzy placed a hand over Cat's shoulder. "Come on Cat. I'm worried too, but she and Albert need us. We've got to hurry."

Though Cat nodded her head, her body refused to move. Cat's eyes were glued to the hole. Suddenly a rough and calloused hand gently took her's, startling her. David offered Cat a meek smile as he slowly pulled her towards the group.

* * *

Loveday walked in circles. She had spent a good portion of her morning pacing between Sir Benjamin's office and the manor's front doors, desperate to keep busy and do all she could to help. Often she interrupted her pacing only to throw the door's wide open, hoping to find a sign of her family returning home.

She stifled another sob and rubbed her temple. She had done enough crying for the day. She had waited long enough at the manor. Her family was missing. She needed to do something.  
Once again, Loveday rushed to the manor's doors. As she reached for the handle, a loud thumping shook the wood. Loveday yelped and immediately yanked the door open, startling the visitor. It was Captain Anderson. Loveday's hope-filled face quickly fell to disappointment; just as quickly as Captain Anderson's shock became anger.

"Mrs. Loveday Merryweather, where is David?" He shook a finger in her face, his face growing red with every word.

"I beg your pardon!" Loveday took a step back and bumped into Mrs. Heliotrope. Mrs. Heliotrope had heard the commotion from the kitchen and came as fast as she could. "How would I know? You had him wrongly arrested! If anyone knows of his whereabouts, it should be you!"

"Four hours ago, two men claiming to be city officials came to investigate the prison. A few minutes later, an unoccupied building was set on fire—"

"Oh, goodness! How dreadful!" Mrs. Heliotrope gasped.

Captain Anderson rolled his eyes at the interruption and let out an exasperated sigh. "As I was  _saying,_  a fire was started that required mine and my officers' immediate attention—"

"What does this have to do with David?" Loveday interrupted. She was growing inpatient with this man.

"IF YOU LADIES WOULD LET ME TALK I COULD EXPLAIN TO YOU BOTH JUST WHAT I MEAN!" He shouted at the women, causing them to take another step back. "A fire was started in town that  _CONVENIENTLY_ took our attention! When we returned from putting out the flames, David was gone! ESCAPED!"

The women looked to one another with confusion. They still didn't understand where he was going.

"IT WAS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!" He shouted waving his hands in the air. The women scowled, further angering the man. "Who else has a band of ruffians willing to start a fire and help their friend escape? Your blasted family! Your own brother!"

"How dare you! How dare you come to my home and accuse my brother?" Loveday snapped, her red-rimmed eyes narrowing to a vicious level. "Not only do you unjustly imprison David, but you still have the nerve to come here and accuse us of your incompetence?"

"WOMAN! I'll have you know we keep our prisoners locked and secured. There was no way he could've escaped without outside help! IMPOSSIBLE—"

"My brother has been out ALL DAY looking for my son! Something you and your men have REFUSED to help with!" Loveday crossed her arms and forced her breath steady. "IF your prisoners were truly locked and secured as you claim, then surely he wouldn't have escaped in the FIRST PLACE!"

Mrs. Heliotrope was so invested in the argument at hand, she almost failed to hear the sudden set of clatter and conversation from the hallway. Looking between Loveday and Captain Anderson, Mrs. Heliotrope reluctantly left Loveday's side to investigate the noise.

Mrs. Heliotrope was nearing Maria's room, when she came face to face with what was left of the search party! They were coming down Maria's tower. Scanning over the newcomers, her eyes grew wide as she found the source of the officer's anger.

"Goodness, David!" She cried before covering her hand with her mouth. "What are you doing here? What is the meaning of this?"

"Mrs. Heliotrope, is everything alright?" Loveday yelled from the parlor.

"OH! Erm yes, yes my dear! I'll be down in a moment!" Turning back to the group, she urged them, "If you all care not to make matters worse, go wait up there!" Mrs. Heliotrope ushered them back to Maria's tower.

Henry began, "But Mrs. Heliotrope, we need to talk to Loveday—"

"Shhhhh!" She silenced him growing red. She did not want either Loveday or the officer coming to investigate. "It'll only be a moment! Ensure David remains hidden!"

Mrs. Heliotrope hurried down the stairs and arrived in time to see Loveday slam the door. She leaned against it and covered her face with her hands.

"Can you believe him, Mrs. Heliotrope? The audacity!"

"I, uh—well you see my dear, I don't believe he was too far off… follow me."

Mrs. Heliotrope took Loveday's arm and led her to Maria's tower.

"David! You're here!" Loveday gasped.

David shuffled from behind Bast and offered a weak greeting.

"But how? Was this Robin's doing? Oh, just wait until I get my hands on my brother—wait, where is he? And Maria… where are they?"

The group looked to one another, not a single one of them wanted to give Loveday any more bad news.

"It—it took her," Cat finally managed to say, though her reply was a mere whisper.

"The monster took her. Robin and William went after her," Henry finished explaining.

Loveday dropped to the floor and covered her eyes, "No! Not them too!" Her heart lurched in her chest. "Benjamin and my father, they haven't come back either. Nor the rest of the men. You didn't cross paths, did you?"

They shook their heads.

A choking sob escaped from Mrs. Heliotrope. She struggled to maintain her composure, her thoughts on her beloved, yet bumbling husband, her dear Maria, and sweet, young, Albert. Oh, how she prayed that they were all well. Though she pursed her lips to keep herself from crying, the persistent tears still flowed.

"My goodness, Loveday," Mrs. Heliotrope sniffed, trying to lift Loveday from the floor. "Please dear, off the floor now. You must get up."

Loveday waved her away, "Mrs. Heliotrope, please let me cry. Now is not the time for propriety."

"No Loveday, it's not. Though it is a most necessary time to be strong, if not for you, but for your family," The governess responded with firm kindness.

"We need to get back out there," Jane said.

"No, first we need to formulate a new plan and remain together," Henry reminded them once more. "Splitting up hasn't worked yet, and we've been ambushed far too many times already."

Dulac looked over his men. "Henry's right. Many of my men are injured, and they haven't had anything to eat all day. I need strong men, not starving ones."

Mrs. Heliotrope wrung her hands and searched the room. She wasn't used to dictating orders to guards or a search party. Even when Maria had gone missing in the past, it was Sir Benjamin and Loveday who commandeered the search. Unfortunately for the governess, Sir Benjamin was now missing as well, and Loveday was grieving. Mrs. Heliotrope's nerves began to boil at her stomach. She heard a churning sound forcing its wait up towards her chest. It grew until it popped out her mouth in the form of a rather loud burp.

Mrs. Heliotrope blushed and wiped her mouth with her handkerchief, her nerves would be the end of her.  
"Uh—well yes—very good point. There's food down in the kitchen. Follow me.  
And Loveday dear, do try to be strong. I'll be back in a moment." With a heavy sigh, Mrs. Heliotrope led them to the kitchen, leaving a grief-stricken Loveday in the tower.

Loveday furiously wiped and her eyes, wishing she would stop crying.  _They must all think I'm weak now,_ she thought to herself. Loveday clenched her jaw and forced herself up. Spying Maria's mirror, she went and stared into it. Her hands gripped the mirror on either edge. She bore her eyes into her own reflection, pleading, begging for a vision or sign. One that would tell her of her family's whereabouts and well-being.  
Nothing happened. Only her own, desperate reflection, stared back.

Loveday pressed her hand over her image, wishing the force of her palm could change what she saw. She turned and marched down to the portrait of the first Moon Princess.

"This is all your fault," Loveday hissed. "Was a curse really necessary to punish both families? Especially with a curse that continues to haunt us?" Loveday paced back and forth in front of the mirror, pouring her pent-up grief onto the portrait. "Oh sure, now we don't have a moon crashing down onto us, but look at us! The curse did nothing to wash away the greed in these men's hearts! And now, we have a monster!"  
Loveday didn't receive a response from the painting, but she didn't let that stop her tirade. Yet despite her anger, Loveday knew the Moon Princess wasn't at fault. She knew it was her own family's greed, their inability to forgive and make peace, that was at fault. The very thing that resulted in the curse, was the same that led to her son's kidnapping. Though the monster, she still wasn't sure where that fit in…

"Please, show me how to find my family," Loveday stopped her pacing and begged the first Moon Princess. "Please, show me how to bring them home!"

The Moon Princess' portrait shifted. A ripple ran through the colors. Her smile became a frown. A foggy mist soon enveloped the painting, clearing up to reveal a birds-eye-view of the ocean. It zoomed in, closing in on the beach and resting momentarily on the shipwreck. Then the portrait zoomed out once more and the vision fell towards the amphitheater by the cliffs. At the center of the theater, were the four missing men fighting hard against their armed attackers.

Loveday gasped and ran to tell the others.

ooOoo

The afternoon was beginning to end when the search party found themselves stalking the amphitheater. Much to their frustration, it took a lot longer to resume their search. Many of the guards had been badly injured. Some, to Dulac's extreme displeasure, were reluctant to embark on the search once more. They grew to fear the monster. Asking instead for reinforcements, some even daring to suggest they wait it out. Henry tried to explain that the monster was at its weakest, yet all they understood was that it could, and perhaps would, get stronger.

A bird's call alerted Henry. He spotted David hidden amongst a tree's branches.

' _Down there_ ,' mouthed David as he pointed to the amphitheater. ' _Guards. Lots of 'em.'_

David and Richard had skirted through the trees to get as close to the amphitheater as possible. With one last glance, David signaled to Richard. Understanding, they crept back to the party.

"They're there alright. Quiet a number keeping guard, David reckons about 8. Charles' friends are among them," Richard informed Dulac.

"We must go, Albert has to be nearby," Loveday said. She was stopped by Dulac who put his arm in front of her.

"You'll give us away. Wait here while we go get 'em," he said.

Loveday scowled and crossed her arms. Before Dulac could say another would, she left back towards the end and hid herself amongst the shadows of the forest. Loveday hurried, remembering a path she once used to walk many times. She wandered until she found a burrow beneath a tree. Crawling on all fours, she peered into the burrow and called out a low and soft whistle. Satisfied, Loveday reached into the burrow, and pulled out a grey snake. It had a black zig-zag pattern running along its back.

Loveday cradled the snake into her chest and looked into its dark red eyes, "It's been so long my friend, but I need your help." Loveday whispered instructions into his ears. When finished she placed him on the floor and watched him slither way. On her way back to the group, she was the only one who noticed Jane sneaking towards the amphitheater. She bit her lip with concern.

Out of sight, Jane ignored the flutter of adrenaline as she tip-toed around the party. Jane nimbly snuck over to the stage's entrance and observed the sight before her.

"Cut that squirming!" A young man snapped at Sir Benjamin. His scar was bright red along his otherwise pale face.

 _This must be John,_ she guessed. Within the theater's perimeters were men in black leather standing guard. Jane needed to find a way in, without alerting them.

Sir Benjamin was tied back-to-back with Mr. De Noir and had been trying to untie the string's knot without any luck. He could only glare at the young man and swallow his pride. How they had been so easily overtaken, he was not sure.

Marmaduke subtly jerked his head, catching Sir Benjamin's attention. He pointed his face towards Sir Benjamin's foot. There was a broken shell, the size of a child's palm. Sir Benjamin nodded his head and dragged the broken shell towards him with his foot.

"What the devil are you doing?" Mr. De Noir whispered behind his back. "You squirm as if a snake crawled up your trousers!"

"Shhh! I'm trying to untie us. Keep quiet or they will figure me out," Sir Benjamin responded.

Sitting across from them were the two other Merryweather men, Digweed and Marmaduke, also tied with their backs to one another. Digweed held his head low, biting his tongue in concentration. He too was trying to reach into his boot. Their captors had failed to remove his small whittling knife, one that he used to make wooden roses and knik-knacks for Mrs. Heliotrope. It was hidden within his sock. Though unfortunately, his rather large belly made it difficult to reach it. Marmaduke and Mr. De Noir remained still. Marmaduke had his eyes on their captors, plotting a method of escape, and Mr. De Noir searched the skies.

A movement up above caught his attention. Mr. De Noir's hawk circled above them, sending out a call.

"Ey! Scat!" Shouted Michael to the bird. He tossed a rock in its direction. The hawked swooped to the side and easily avoided the stone. With one last screech, it soared high into the air and left in the direction of the forest.

"The other way, you blasted bird," muttered Coeur, wishing instead it had gone in the direction of the manor to inform his daughter.

His hawk dipped into the forest and landed on a branch above Dulac's head. Dulac nodded his head and said, "it'll be time soon, just need a bloody distraction."

"Wait, where's Jane?" Richard asked.

Jane was now crouched low alongside the amphitheater's wall. She reached a section where the wall had crumbled, revealing a guard standing to her side. Straight ahead, she could just make out Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir.

Making sure she was still covered, Jane tip-toed across the opening to get to the other side. There, near the top of the wall, she saw a protruding rock and took a deep breath. She jumped into the air and grabbed the jutted stone. Swinging herself up, she grabbed the edge of the wall with her other hand, and used all her strength to lift herself onto the wall.

Richard, once again up on a tree, spotted Jane and cursed under his breath. She would be the end of him.

Jane let herself fall quietly onto the ground, and stifled her grunt. It was much taller on the other side and the impact caused her hip and ankles to wince in pain. Michael heard the small scuffle and began to make his way over.  
Jane's heart beat fast as Michael's footsteps approached her. She braced herself to attack, tightening her grip on the hilt of her sword. Before Michael could reach her, a crow's cry came from the forest, followed by a deep and heavyset laugh that echoed through the theater.

"Michael, go check the forest! I 'ave a feeling Robin's gang's nearby."

Michael narrowed his eyes, and threw one last suspicious glance in Jane's direction before leaving.

Jane let out a sigh of relief. Her path now clear, she crawled her way to the altar.

Marmaduke's eyes widened as he spotted the girl. He was almost done cutting the rope and quickened his space.

"John! Come have a loo—" Michael's call was cut short.

"You there! Watch the prisoners," John commanded as he went to go check on Michael. "And whatever you do, don't let them escape!"

Jane scurried to Marmaduke, using Mr. De Noir's large torso to hide herself from the guards' sight. She first cut off Sir Benjamin's and Mr. De Noir bonds, then moved on to Marmaduke and Digweed. As she started cutting Digweed's, a guard shouted.

"Ey girl! Stop that!"

Jane wasn't fast enough. A guard grabbed her coat's collar and lifted her into the air. He grabbed her arms and twisted the knife free from her gasp. Before he could do no more, Mr. De Noir's hawk swooped in and thrashed at the guard's face. Two ravens soon joined and began to attack the other nearby watchmen coming to restrain Jane. It was just the distraction Richard needed. He sprung from behind the stone and kicked the guard in the gut, sending him and Jane to the ground. Jane jumped to her feet and kicked the guard in his temple. She knocked him out cold, but the kick sent another jab of pain down her hip.

Richard lent Jane an arm of support, and formed a defensive circle with the now freed men. Keeping her dagger in one hand, Jane handed off her sword to Sir Benjamin, while Coeur and Digweed took up the weapons of the unconscious guard. Marmaduke magically appeared on top of a pillar and began to hurl stones at the faces of the oncoming guards.

Meanwhile John walked into the forest and looked around. There was no one nearby, though a squirming in a nearby bush got his attention. Pushing the shrubbery aside, he came face to face with Michael, who was now unconscious and gaged.

A rustling in the trees ahead caused John to bolt upright. He tried to run back to the amphitheater, but two figures jumped in front of him. It was David and Henry.

"Going somewhere?" Henry smirked.

John sneered and took out his gun, he didn't have time for a proper fight.

"Sorry mate, not today!" Yelled a third figure that fell from the trees. He landed clumsily on John's back. It was Bast.

Bast managed to pin John to the ground, and snapped John's wrist against the floor, forcing him to drop the gun.

Cat and Lizzy came out from hiding and tied John up. The boys dragged him over to the amphitheater along with Michael.

The battle was now in full flight at the amphitheater. Dulac, his men, and Loveday had joined the others and were working to unarm the guards.

Richard and Jane were fighting back to back. Jane, somehow avoiding the guard's sword, managed to strike him a few times with her bag across his face. The blows were enough to let Richard fight on the offensive. He used his sword to parry and attack the guard.

Loveday had two black adders coiled around her arms. They were up-straight and ready to strike at any guard that got too close to Marmaduke. Loveday herself was well guarded by a band of brown sparrows and ravens, flying defensively around her. Marmaduke was still working from above, apparating from pillar to pillar, and levitating rocks to hurl at the sentry faster than they could blink.

Mr. De Noir, Sir Benjamin, and Digweed formed a tight circle and were fighting off four guards. Coeur, wrestled one of the guards, trying to keep him from drawing his gun. Another freed himself from one of the birds and rushed over. He drew his gun and was ready to fire at Mr. De Noir when Henry jumped in and punched his face.

Still another frustrated guard took aim at Dulac, only for Sir Benjamin to collide into his side and send the gun shooting up into the air. Alerting those in the beach below.

* * *

"Well hello there,  _Princess_ ," Charles sneered. "Had a nice nap? You certainly look like you need it."

Charles hopped down his wooden platform and splashed water into Maria's face. She shook her head and scanned her surroundings.

"And what on earth are you wearing? Are you sure they sent you off to finishing school? You look more wretched than before. Such a pale and skinny thing, frankly those boy's clothes suit you."

 _Impossible,_ Maria thought, ignoring Charles' comments. _This is the beach Robin took me! How did I get here?_  
The old amphitheater was high above her in the cliffs. The sun was now well beyond midday and dark clouds boarded the horizon. The Harrison's wrecked ship laid behind her. She was tied to the broken remains of the ship's mast. Maria tried to arch her neck and look behind her, but a throbbing pain in her head forced her neck forwards. The same pain jolted her memories.  
She remembered failing into the dark. She remembered Cat's screams above her growing distant. She remembered grasping at the air about her, desperately searching for a stronghold. She remembered grabbing a hold of Wrolf's mane and hugging him close. She remembered he took most of the fall's impact.  
She winced and looked for him. Maria couldn't find Wrolf. She hoped he and her friends were safe.

Charles grabbed her chin and forced her to face him, "Look at me! I am talking to you,  _princess._ "

"Don't call me that," Maria growled.

"Well excuse me, I didn't realize that pet-name was exclusive."  
Charles bent down and brought his face close to hers. His breath smelled of gin and mutton. Maria wanted to retch. He inspected her face slowly, forcing it at various angles to grab every detail. Her split lip, bruised cheek, scraped forehead, bleeding temple…  
"He does still call you that, doesn't he?" His voice was cold and he spoke slowly, as though his mind was somewhere else. There was a glint of malice in his dark eyes.

Maria narrowed her eyes, and pulled her face from his hand. She felt his fingertips dig into her face as he tried to keep his hold.

"Let Albert go!" Maria snapped.

"Why do I even try?" Charles stood and brought his hands to the air in an exasperated sigh. "Here I am, trying to get to know you, have a polite conversation... But you just get straight onto business. Didn't your parents ever teach you some manners—oh wait, you don't have any."

Maria drew a sharp breath. Her anger rose from her heart to her throat. But she forced herself not to show it. If there was ever a time she needed to be composed, it was now. "That jokes growing a bit old don't you think? I seem to recall you tried that taunt on Robin once before, didn't end well for you, did it?" She spat at him.

"Really Princess? Even Maybelle has better manners than you. You truly are a mannerless, snobbish, orphan, so much for being a princess—"

"I said don't call me that!" Maria yelled pulling at her bonds. Charles angrily kicked up some water into her face, causing her to sputter and cough.

"Did you forget your predicament,  _Merryweather?_  You don't get to tell me what to do!" Charles said, his voice rising and his face growing red. "Now tell me! What is your relationship with my cousin?"

"That is none of your business—" Maria's response was cut short. She gasped in pain as he grabbed her by the hair and yanked her up. She felt the throbbing in her head resonate through her body. Warm, red blood resumed its path down her face, trickling down the corner of one eye.

"It's to your benefit you remain polite with me. I'm growing impatient with you!"

Maria snorted. She was not about to bestow her years of social training onto this coward. "Hmph! You seem so interested in Robin's relations, I would almost think you fancied him."

Charles eyes darkened and his slapped Maria across her face. Maria's head began to spin, she felt the feint dizziness try to take a hold of her once more, but she forced her head steady. Her cheek stung and she was sure she tasted blood.

"You little witch! You think you can just waltz right in, ruin my family, and then taunt me? I'll show you just who you're dealing with." Charles raised the gun to her head and cocked the hammer. The barrel rotated, setting the pullet in place.  
"If you really must know, I'm trying to guess how much your death will hurt him."

Maria gulped. Any color she had left, was now gone. Surly he wasn't serious. Did he hate her this much?

"But lucky for you," Charles continued, "we still need you." Charles looked up the sky and moved the gun away from her face. "The moon's not quite up yet. Soon though."

Maria released a breath she didn't know she held.

"Tut-tut-tut, now, now  _princess,_ don't think the worst is over, we've only just begun… After all, you do still need to be punished for your insolence."  
Charles turned to the shore and bellowed, "Bring the child!"

Then she saw it, for the first time since gaining conscious. Behind Albert stood the monster, hidden in the dark of the small cave. It reached a black talon, and hooked it around a metal bar of the cage. The monster floated with ease to the edge of the water. Only its tattered cloak left a trail in the sand.

Charles leveled the gun to Albert.

"NO!" Maria choked. "No, Charles you can't! He's your nephew!"

" _Au contraire,_ he's a  _Merryweather_ and no family of mine! And after all, he is expendable _."_

Albert's frightened cries grew louder. His large round eyes were red and his shirt was drenched with tears. Albert crawled towards Maria and tried to reach for her. Maria pulled against the strings and felt the rope burn and cut through her raw skin. Blood dripped from her wrists down her fingers, falling into the water. Her heart drummed at her ears, a panic swelled at her chest. Despite the pain, she screamed and yelled Albert's name, yelling that she would do anything to get him back home safe. Albert's cries became wails and drilled at her ears. Her eyes were focused on the gun, pointing towards Albert's chest.

 _BANG!_ A gunshot rang through the air.


	25. A New Enemy, and Old Foe

"NO!" Maria screamed. A soft white light erupted from her hands that went unnoticed. Her ties tore and Maria fell on all fours into the water.

Though she was barely able to see through her tears, she heard him. Albert was still crying.

Maria wiped her eyes. Albert was alive. He was still reaching through the bars with his pudgy little hands. Maria had never before found his cries as beautiful as they did that moment. He was safe—scared yes, and most probably hungry—but at least he was alive.

He was alive and unhurt. Charles hadn't fired his gun. So then, where had the shot come from? And her bonds, surly someone had cut her loose. Maria looked around her, but there was no savior in sight.  _This doesn't make any sense._

Then she heard it, shouting and fighting up on the cliffs.

"Something's happened up there," Charles said. "Silence and hide the child!"

The monster waved its hand in front of Albert. He plopped down onto the cage's floor, fast asleep.

This was her chance. Maria grit her teeth and ran to Albert. She tackled the monster to the ground and tore the cage from the monster's grips. It was heavy, but she wasn't going to let that stop her. Charles ran after her, but two large waves rose up from behind Charles and pummeled him into the sandy ground.

Maria continued running, huffing as she struggled to balance the large and heavy cage close to her chest. The monster growled and casted a spell that plucked her legs from beneath her. Maria screamed and fell onto her stomach. She felt a force drag her back towards the water. Albert's cage slipped from her grasp and wedged itself into the sand.

"No, Albert!" She shouted. "Let me go, you monster!"  
Maria anchored her hands into the sand to hold herself down. The monster cackled then lifted her up into the air. Maria was thrown away from Albert and landed back on the water, a few feet away from Charles. Trembling, Maria stood up, but before she could steady herself, she was raised up into the air once more.

Screaming Albert's name and cursing Charles', Maria was carried further down the beach. She struggled against the invisible force. Kicking her arms and legs around her. But it was no use. Maria was nothing but a rag doll to it. The monster's spell continued to carry her until she reached the shipwreck once again.

"You don't stand a chance against her," Charles leered.

A second gunshot pierced the air and the monster staggered. Dark red blood oozed from its shoulder. Maria was dropped as the monster began to try to heal itself. Maria screamed and once again fell into waves below her. The water swirled around Maria, cushioning her fall, and she floated up above, gasping for air.

"Robin!" She yelled, relieved at his familiar sight running out of the shallow cave.

With a gun in his hand, he aimed it at Charles.  
"Let them go," Robin commanded.

Charles scoffed. "No."

"I'll shoot you," Robin warned.

"I don't doubt it," yet despite what he said, Charles looked unfazed. In fact, he looked amused as his eyes darted just over Robin's shoulder.

"Robin! I've got Albert!" William yelled as he caught up to Robin. He held the cage in his hands.

Charles smiled and turned his gun towards William and Albert. "It's your choice Robin, don't make a mistake."

Robin groaned. "Bloody hell, William! Didn't I tell you to stay in the cave?"

"And what? Have Maria think you're the only hero out here? Never! Albert will be safe with me. I bet my life on it—"

"Will you two shut it!" Charles yelled, interrupting the bickering. "So, Robin, what will it be?"

Robin furrowed his brow and dropped his gun.

"Good, perhaps you're smarter than I thought. You—" he said waving his gun in William's direction, "—put the child down and come over here."

William glared and set Albert's cage down, before reluctantly making his way next to Robin.

"Good, very good. This is turning out better than I had planned. I was wondering what I'd have to do to get you down here. Can't 'ave you missing Maria's death, after all."

"Bastard!" Robin shouted moving towards Charles.

"Nuh-uh I wouldn't do that if I were you," Charles retorted once more pointing his gun towards his nephew.

Robin stopped in his tracks and clenched his fists.

"One wrong move Robin, and he's finished—GUH!" Charles cried as he was tackled into the water. The monster, weakened by the bullet, had grown careless with Maria. Taking advantage of Charles' and the monster's distraction, Maria waded through the water until she was close enough to make her move. She shoved Charles towards the monster, letting the waves roll them over. Charles and the monster hit against one another with each pounding wave. They got tangled together in the water, as the monster's old robe wrapped itself around their limbs.

Maria trashed her way through the water until she ran past Robin and William, who stood gawking at her.

"Don't just stand there, run!" She shouted behind her. She grabbed Albert's cage once more and ran towards the trail that let up to the cliffs. A trail that she was sure would lead her to her family and friends.

Robin and William broke from their trance and ran after Maria.

Though she ran as fast as she could, she was weighed down by her soaked clothes and heavy metal cage. She couldn't run fast enough. Maria began to stumble. Every step became more painful. Her injuries cried out in pain. She felt her balance failing. Every inch of her body wanted to stop and give up. Only her mind and heart forced her to continue.

Maria lost her footing.  _No!_ Her head screamed. She was about to fall when suddenly, William took the cage from her arms and Robin pulled her up. Robin placed her arm over his shoulder and helped her run after William who had gotten ahead with Albert.

"Hurry up you two!" William shouted.

"We're doing the best that we can!" Robin shouted back. Noticing Maria's growing fatigue, Robin warned, "Sorry Princess, seems you'll have to be a sack of potatoes once more!" With a quick wink at Maria's confused face, Robin hoisted her up into his arms. Maria yelped but wrapped her arms tight around Robin's neck.

"Show off…" Robin heard William call over his shoulder. Despite their current predicament, Robin couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face.

"They're getting away!" Charles yelled from behind them.

Charles pulled himself away from the monster and ran towards the escapees. The monster angrily tore at its cloak. Now, only tattered remains of cloth covered its frame. Through the tears, its pale, white skin was marred with scars. On its ankle were broken and rusted shackles. Below its trunk, its limbs resembled that of featherless bird legs. Tattered bat-like wings laid folded against its back.

It ran for Maria. It reached out its claws to tear at her. As it neared her, the sand before the monster burst into the air as another gun shot was fired.

The monster stopped and searched for the perpetuator. It was Henry from up above.

"Let them go or you'll die!" Henry threatened "This time, I won't miss!" He was surrounded by the rest of the search party. Behind them laid the defeated guards, unconscious on the ground. "We far outnumber you lot!"

The monster looked over its shoulder and saw the feint outline of the moon rising far out into the horizon. It laughed, its sound grating against their ears.

A feint grey mist floated from the water and crawled over the sand to the monster. The mist surrounded its body, shielding it from the onlookers. A small dense cloud of fog settled on its shoulder, and its wound stopped bleeding. The creature stretched out its tattered wings, its bones cracking with every movement. Fueled by the rising moon, the monster let loose a battle cry and shouted a curse. The cliffs began to shake, sending Maria's family and friends onto their knees. Soon the cliff's edge started to crumble.

"No!" Maria, Robin, and William shouted in unison. Those on the cliffs scrambled to grab a stronghold, but it seemed that any ground they grasped, crumbled in their hands. Soon they were all falling. Before they could hit the floor, the monster froze them midair, and brought them down to the ground.

Casting another spell, the De Noir guards' eyes glazed over. They faced the monster and raised their hands in salute. The monster issued a command in an unknown language and the guards formed a circle around Maria's family. They lifted their weapons and pointed them towards Maria's friends and family. Two others came and took Robin and William into a crushing hold. They were taken back with the rest of the now imprisoned search party.

Maria yelped as she was pulled by her collar. Charles was dragging her back to the water. Robin and Sir Benjamin tried to stop him, but two guards stood in their path, their guns and swords pointed towards their chest.

"Charles, cut this out! Leave her be!" Robin yelled trying to push his way through.

"You have no right to tell me what to do, Robin! You've betrayed the family and sullied the De Noir reputation."

"Oh, give it a rest Charles! What's a reputation when you're dead! Even your own sister wouldn't help you!"

"Maybelle's grown soft! I knew sending her away would do her harm. But no worries, I'll deal with you all later." Charles continued dragging Maria, who screamed and kicked along the way. To Maria it seemed all progress was gone once more. At least now Loveday and her uncle were reunited with their sleeping child, perhaps there was still hope for their escape.

"Can't wait, any longer," the monster rasped as it came to Charles' side.

Charles tossed a wary look to the creature as he composed himself. "So it seems we no longer have the luxury of waiting. Very well. After all, I do have an agreement to fulfil."  
Charles nodded his head and produced some string to tie Maria back up to the mast. The moon was now growing higher as the sun was beginning to set.

With the fading light, Maria was able to study the monster. Beads of sweat rolled down the monster's body and it seemed to sway. Even hunched over by its weakened and starved state, Maria could tell the creature was much taller than her. Possibly even taller than Mr. De Noir. It's dark red eyes no longer drew into a vicious scowl, but we're eager and weary. They watched Maria intently. Maria tried to hold its stare, to prove her strength and determination, but she couldn't. Maria looked away. She heard an angry grumble coming from its thin abdomen, it was hungry. She was trapped. She was simply prey, a small rabbit, compared to the seemingly powerful monster.

She was afraid. Panicked, all thoughts of escape flew out of her head, as her mind instead focused on how she yet again had failed. She couldn't do it. Maria couldn't stop them. Hurt, her body refused to fight. She felt numb, and limply dropped her hands to her side, letting Charles easily tie her up.

With the wet and cold wooden mast pressed tight against her back, Maria began to shake. She looked across the sand, her eyes pleading for some solution. All she saw were her friends huddled together, as the De Noir gang shielded them from the mind-controlled guards. She saw Robin's desperate eyes, Mrs. Heliortrope's teary face, Loveday's creased frown, and her uncles pale face, staring intently in her direction. Albert seemed to still be asleep.

 _Why is this happening?_ She thought. Tears began to fall down her face, washing away the dirt and blood from her cheeks.

"What do you want Charles? I'll give you anything! All I ask is that you let them all go!" Maria cried.

Charles laughed. "The pearls, princess, the pearls! It's what it's always been about!" Charles grabbed Maria by her face. "The De Noirs were destined for greatness! The first moon princess came from us! That power belonged to us!"

"—The pearls are gone!"

"Are they really? Last I heard you tossed them to the bottom of the ocean. I'm sure they still lie there, you can't honestly believe they would have just disappeared? No, they're most certainly still there. They have to be, for your sake, and your family's."

"Please, Charles stop—" Maria tried to plead but was stopped as Charles forced her mouth shut with his hand.

"Do it now!" He commanded.

The wooden mast she was tied to began to shake. Maria felt the rush of wind and she was thrusted up into the sky. Her heart dropped. Maria's stomach flipped. She couldn't stop them. She couldn't save her family. Cold dread filled her heart.  
Her head whipped forwards as she was thrown backwards. She soared through the air until she came to a jarring stop at the cliffs where her head thumped back onto the mast. The throbbing in her head grew. For a moment, her vision became blurred as she fought with herself to remain conscious. She was floating high above the water, besides the very same cliffs she had jumped from. The same cliffs she had thrown the pearls a few years ago.

"Charles, no! She can't search for the pearls all tied up!" Maria heard Loveday's feint scream.

Charles merely shrugged his shoulders and pointed his thumb to the monster.

Maria wanted to shout and scream. To release her fear. But the sound of her family's anguished screams brought her mind reeling back into action. If there was ever a time for her to be brave and control her feelings, it was now. She couldn't let them give up. She couldn't let them know how desperate she felt. If this was the way her life was to end, she needed to give them the strength to keep fighting.

Though tears rolled down her eyes, she kept an iron face. A sudden sense of peace and calmness washed over her. Looking up at the moon, now growing in size, she could only hope things would turn out alright.

Maria looked across the beach to Robin, and nodded her head. Then, just like in her dream, Maria felt herself plummeting down. Her stomach pushed up into her chest and the air whizzed right past her body. Maria felt weightless and cold. The sudden rush of wind was suffocating and didn't let her scream. She was falling, fast. She plunged into the icy depths below, sending shock waves through her weakened body. Pulled down by the heavy wooden mast, the cold water rammed into Maria, the force of the impact pushed the air from her lungs in a gut-wrenching scream. Maria forced her mouth shut, but not before she took in a mouthful of salty sea water.

Still she continued sinking. With every second she sank, the light around her dimmed, surrounding her with ever growing darkness. Finally, she hit the ocean floor with a thud and shuddered. Maria opened her eyes and wanted to scream. She was held down, with nowhere to go.

She pulled and swayed against the water, trying to tug herself free. Now, in the darkness of the ocean, Maria could only make out the shadows of the various sea creatures and plants floating with the ocean currents. As she felt her lungs ache for air, a feint white lie erupted around her hands. It vanished her ties and Maria was free. Desperate to escape and save her family, Maria no longer questioned the source of light.

She pushed herself off the sandy floor and began to swim upwards, but stopped when another sharp, beam of light, to her right caught her eye. It was a small, glowing, pink pearl. Maria furrowed her brow and pushed her hair out of her way to get a better look.

Maria dove for the pearl, grasping at nearby seaweed to pull herself onto her knees. Her lungs were now burning, ready to burst. Maria reached for the pearl. As she closed her fingers around it, a bubble of air filled around her head. She gasped and felt her lungs expand as the breathed it all in. Panting and coughing, her vision cleared, and she saw the rest of the glowing moon pearls scattered around her.

Suddenly, moon light broke through the darkness of the ocean and fell onto Maria and the pearls. At the center, in front of Maria, an apparition of the first moon princess materialized. Dressed in her wedding grown, from the day she casted the curse, the Moon Princess walked to Maria and took her hand.

" _Maria…"_  it was a soft, and delicate, voice that echoed in her head. " _You've done your best, though greed still remains within their hearts."_ The Moon Princess raised her head and stared longingly above her. _  
"I had hoped they would change, perhaps a curse really wasn't the answer…. Please take them. Take the powers once bestowed upon me, and save them. There is much to do, and I fear the worst is yet to come."_

The moon pearls strewn across the sea bed began to glow brighter. They floated up from the ground, as though weightless, and moved towards her. They circled about her body, casting a golden glow, until they formed a trail up to her collar. The pearls stopped spinning, and settled in a small chain around her neck. Her body began to vibrate with energy and warmth, spreading down to the tips of her fingers and toes. The cuts along her wrists stopped stinging. The throbbing in her head began to dim.

The Moon Princess smiled and faded away. In her place, was Maria's white unicorn. Maria grabbed onto its mane and hoisted herself up. The unicorn galloped up through the water, with every second, more white horses and unicorns joined them.

The unicorn brought her towards the far end, away from where Charles was still waiting for her.

Maria dismounted and waded through the water. She now had the moon pearls, she had the strength of nature. Maria could do this, she could save her family.

But Maria needed a distraction. She needed to first free her family. Though she had the moon pearls, she wasn't quite sure what their powers could do. She wasn't ready to risk it all by confronting the monster just yet. But perhaps with her loved ones, together, they could stop Charles and the Monster.

As if reading her mind, the white unicorn huffed and nuzzled her neck. Before Maria could understand, it galloped away and was joined by its herd. They stampeded towards Charles and the monster.

The unicorns' neigh rang through the beach. Under the moonlight, the majestic horses seemed to glow white, and drew everyone's attention. This was it. Maria ducked her head underneath the water and paddled her way to the shore.

Reaching the beach, she hid behind the wreck and plotted a plan.

By now, the horses were swimming circles around Charles and the monster. Charles, no longer able to use his gun after the water dampened the gun's powder, failed to strike at the unicorns with his sword. The monster challenged Maria's unicorn head on, but couldn't hit it with a curse. Luckily for Maria, the guards were no longer paying attention to her family.

Using the darkness to her advantage, Maria skirted between the boulders speckled along the beach.

Maria crawled behind the last boulder, she was now nearest to Mr. De Noir and Dulac, but there was a guard in between them. Maria bit her lips, wondering what to do next.

"… _Place your palm across their backs…"_ the Moon Princess' voice echoed once more. Maria nodded her head and inched slowly. The dripping water from her clothes muffled the crunch of her boots against the sand. Reaching the closest guard, she placed a trembling hand on his back and felt him violently shutter. His eyes focused, and he gasped.

By now, the rest of the guards had seen her and began to mobilize towards her. The now freed guard took a defensive stance against the oncoming guards, and she quickly skirted around her family to avoid them. She ran and slammed a hand behind another guard. He too gained conscious and moved to untie her friends and family. Maria shed her coat and used it to whip another guard across the face. He stumbled and fell over as Jane kicked his side. Maria jumped forwards and placed a hand on his back.

With help from her friends and family, she repeated this with every one of the remaining controlled guards.

On the water, the white unicorn stood on its legs and knocked the monster down. The monster barred its sharp teeth and dug its talons into the unicorn's legs. It then pulled itself up onto the unicorn.

"NO!" Maria screamed. She ran to the water to save her unicorn but Charles swung his sword and leveled it at her neck.

"Give me the pearls!" He yelled.

The unicorn bucked and ran through the water. It screamed as it tried to knock the monster off its back. But it was no use. The monster dug its talons deep into the flesh of the horse to hold itself tight. Its mouth and teeth had also latched onto its neck, desperate to absorb all its life.

A lion's roar came from the shore and Wrolf came bounding from the darkness. He leaped into the air and tackled the monster off the unicorn. But the monster refused to release his hold and all three tumbled further into the water.  
Soon, the three mythical beasts were engulfed by water. Wrolf did his best to protect the unicorn, but the monster was relentless and refused to let go. Finally, the unicorn was released when a large wave tackled all three, sending Wrolf and the monster stumbling across the sand.  
The waves seemed to pull back and revealed the unicorn laying still on its side. Bright red blood stained its beautiful white coat. It laid furthest into the water, and was protected by the rest of its herd who surrounded it.  
Wrolf stood panting and growling between the unicorn and monster, its coat and mane were covered in clumps of old and new blood, mixed with dirt and sand. The monster stood closest to the shore, drenched in water and unicorn blood. It was heaving and trying to stop its bleeding.

By now, all those on the beach had stopped to watch the ensuing battle between the mythical creatures.

"Lizzy the antidote, please!" Maria pleaded.

Lizzy scrambled to find her satchel and ran to Maria, handing over the vial. Maria dodged behind Charles' sword and ran to her unicorn.

The monster screamed and lunged for her, wanting to have the rest of the unicorn. Wrolf intercepted it, snapping his great jaw over the monster's thin arm. He shook his head and pulled the monster further into the water, away from the unicorn.

Maria reached the unicorn who was bleeding profusely.  
"No, no, no…" Maria cried. She ran her arms along its neck, hoping to stop its bleeding. Then using the droplet, she placed drops of the potion along its many bites and tears. The horses nearest her snorted and nuzzled her shoulder.  
"You must go!" She told the herd of sea horses. "Go and protect yourselves!"

But still they stood surrounding her. Even as the white unicorn began to glow white and fade into an illuminous apparition.

The monster continued clawing at Wrolf's body, desperate to free itself from his teeth. Wrolf only let go when a dark purple light began to surround them. The monster cackled and lunged for Wrolf, taking them both under water.

"Wrolf!" Maria yelled across the water.

Slowly, from the spot they disappeared, the purple light grew brighter. A black figure broke through the water and soared into the air. With its legs, it carried Wrolf and dropped him into the sand where he tumbled.

"No, Wrolf!" Maria cried. He didn't move. He had to be alive.

Maria ran to Wrolf when a screech, like that of an eagle came from above. It flew in and landed right before Maria with a resounding thud, stopping her from reaching her lion. It was the monster, and it had shed the rest of its tattered cloak.  
Maria gasped. Its scars were no longer visible, as its upper body was now covered in golden and white feathers. No longer was it a deathly pale white, but instead, its bird feet were now black, and above the knee covered with full golden feathers that were speckled with black. Its wings were no longer tattered and rubbery, and instead were now covered with black feathers and specs of gold that trailed along the feathers' edges. The creature's eyes were now a deep amber, though still narrowed into a deadly stare. Where there once used to be a hollow, lipless mouth full of sharp teeth, was now a golden bird beak. A crown of long raven feathers covered its head.

Maria yelped and stepped away.

"Girl, thank you for bringing the unicorns. It was all I ever needed." Now, its voice was sharp and high pitched, with the trace of an accent Maria had never heard before. "I was called Althea before I was cursed, no less by the very same who granted your predecessor the powers you now hold. Or so he told me." She said pointing a talon to Charles.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Maria dared ask.

"Much has changed in Moonacre after I was punished... I used to guard these lands, long before your kind spread like vermin. With every year, you humans continued to multiply and fight for our magical lands. I did all I could to protect them, but it was never enough, was it?" The harpy raised its head to the moon. "I pleaded and begged for help. My sisters and I, we needed more power. We couldn't stop you all. But she wouldn't listen. She said nature would take its course. She said this as I watched my kind slaughter for its feathers, as I watched your kind enslave magical creatures for entertainment! So I did what I had to. With the unicorn's blood I became immortal and well versed in magic. But she didn't like it. The creatures began to trust me more than her. They followed me, worshipped me. I was their savior, the scourge of mankind.  
She didn't like it. She called me an abomination! She of course always favored the unicorns. She hid them from me.  
When I refused to stop hunting them, she did all she could to stop me. By convincing your kind, I was captured and tortured. My feathers were stripped! My beak was cut off! Then I was sent away across the ocean. As if that wasn't enough, she cursed me, so that I could only survive by blood, and locked me away with another curse. A curse you broke."

Althea snatched Maria's arm. With a quick swipe of her wing, she knocked the vial out of Maria's hand and drew her in. Althea tapped the pearls with her long, black, talon. "Boy! I believe I owe you this?" She said to Charles.

Maria kicked and tried to pull away but the monster easily pulled the pearl chain off her neck and tossed it to Charles.

He laughed with glee, "I have them!" Though he came to the sudden realization, that without Maria, he didn't quite know how to use them.

Althea once more turned to Maria. Closer than ever, Maria could hear the click of her sharp beak as she spoke to her. "Before I deal with you, I must finish my meal. It's been too long!"

"No!" Maria shouted, swinging her nails across Althea's face. The monster screamed and released Maria.  
Robin sprinted forwards and punched Althea across the face. He managed to roll away as a burst of green light shot from her hand towards him.

While Robin and the monster fought, David and Richard, along with William and Bast, followed suit and tackled Charles. They quickly overpowered him to reclaim the pearls.

The girls meanwhile, joined Maria on all fours to search for the antidote.

"Here it is! Please tend to Wrolf!" Maria begged, tossing the vial to Lizzy.

"Maria take this!" Henry threw the pearls over to Maria. He and the boys were piled over Charles to keep him down.

As she caught them, Althea swooped down and grabbed Maria by her arms and took her to the sky.

"I will get rid of you vermin once and for all, beginning with you!"

Maria twisted her body upwards and sent a kick to Altheas chest. Althea lost her breath and dropped Maria.

Maria braced herself for impact, but instead, landed in a crushing embrace. Robin had caught her.

"We have to go!"

Maria nodded her head. Grabbing a hold of Robin's hand, they ran away from the beach.

Althea screeched and soared towards them. Not willing to let them get away, she began to cast another spell.

"Look out!"

Robin turned in time to see a beam of green light shoot towards Maria from Althea's hand. He shielded Maria with his body, hoping to protect her. But there was no need. A bubble of light erupted from Maria and enveloped the two, protecting them from Althea's attack. Maria looked up from Robin's shoulder and was mesmerized to see herself surrounded by the shimmering white and pink light.

Maria stepped out from behind Robin and walked towards the monster.

"… _Now Maria…"_ she heard the Moon Princess' voice whisper. Maria took a deep breath and raised her hands. The light surrounding them funneled into her arms. From her hands, spheres of a pale pink color, began to burst out at the monster.

The monster flew left and right, expertly dodging Maria's attack. But Maria persisted, doing her best to aim the spheres at Althea's chest.  
Althea too fought back, with beams of magic of her own. The two danced around, dodging one another's attack. Though more than once, Maria came close to being hit. She only managed to avoid the attack with Robin's help. His fast reflexes were would warn her in what direction to duck and roll. From her lack of experience, Maria's skill was meek compared to that of Althea's, but she held out valiantly.

Her friends began to help, flinging stones and broken shells at the monster. It was a particular stone that smacked Althea across her beak, which gave Maria the upper hand she needed.

Maria threw an orb at the harpy and struck her stomach. The monster was sent flying back through the air, and fell down into the sand.

Though Maria readied herself for another attack, Althea laid there, still in her crumpled form.

Maria stepped closer, with Robin close behind her. One of Althea's wings was twisted on its side. Though her eyes remained shut, her chest moved up and down.

"We have to capture her!" Maria ordered. Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir ran forth with rope and began to tie the monster.

Exhausted from the battle, Maria walked to the nearest boulder. She slumped down into the sand and leaned against the rock. She raised her hands. They were trembling and warm, unlike the rest of her body which felt cold. She couldn't believe what just happened. It was only the remaining tingling sensation from the pearl's magic, that proved to her how very real this was.

Before she could fully rest, she was lifted from the ground. "That—that was amazing!" Robin said as he spun Maria up in the air. "You did it! You saved us!"

A bubble of laughter erupted from Maria and her cheeks warmed.  
"It seems so. Perhaps, I won't be needing your protection anymore," Maria managed a tease and small laugh.

Robin's hands tightened around her waist before gently setting her down on her feet. He stepped closer to her and cocked his head to the side, inspecting her closely. "Perhaps... but what if I want to protect you?"

Maria eyes widened. Her cheeks burned. She didn't know what to say. She heard the feint chatter of her friends heading their way. She was sure they were staring. He was so close to her.

Robin's hand traced up her arm, sending chills down her spine. His dark brown eyes were tender and drew Maria in. She felt the gentle tug from her waist as he pulled her closer.  
"I want to be there for you," he whispered so that only she could hear. His hand now caressed her cheek. His eyes flashed to her lips. Maria bit her own. Her heart fluttered and she wasn't sure how much more her heart could withstand.  
He leaned in, closing the gap between them. His body was warm was inviting. Maria closed her eyes, wishing she could be surrounded by his warmth.

_"PROPRIETY Maria!"_

Mrs. Heliotrope's voice shouted indignantly from the distance. Startled by the sound of a very angry governess, Maria squeaked and stepped back, stumbling over her own feet.  
She was about to fall, when Robin caught her in his arms.

He laughed and shook his head. His cheeks were now turning red with embarrassment. "I doubt you won't need me anytime soon, you fall too much!" A hint of smugness coated his words. "No one in all of England has the necessary reflexes to catch a Moon Princess like I do."  
Robin then noticed the audience of girls staring at them, amusement written all over their faces. He coughed and released his hold on Maria. Thinking quickly, he tried to change the subject. "Er—I will admit though, with those clothes, you are much more capable at defending yourself. Fancy yourself a dashing fellow?" He tried to tease.

Maria, now a bright red color, huffed and narrowed her eyes. Avoiding the teasing stares of her friends, she stepped away from Robin, dusted herself off, and fixed her tunic. Then she frowned as she thought of Robin's words, "I do hope you won't have to—" she said playing with a button her shirt, "—protect me, I mean. You have a habit of taking the worst hits."

"Actually, I believe this time, Maria took most of the hits," Jane interjected putting an arm around Maria.

Robin grimaced and a pained look of guilt settled on his face. Before he could say more to Maria, she was pulled away by her friends, who had come to get their share of affection. He was left no choice but to mull over Jane's words, away from them all.

"Sorry to pull you away from your love," Jane teased, "but we have very important matters of congratulating and admiring your heroic deeds!"

Maria shook her head in protest and desperately tried to make her blush go away.

"Maria, how did you do that?" Cat squealed as she embraced both Maria and Jane. "It was so amazing! And your magic, it was so pretty! I would have truly enjoyed the spectacle if it weren't for the fact that your life, and all of ours, was in danger—ow!" Cat whined as Lizzy pinched her arm.

"How rude, Cat!" Lizzy scolded. Then turning to Maria, she pushed her sister aside to give Maria a hug. "You were so brave! Don't pay Cat any attention, we were scared every second you were out there."

Maria giggled and shook her head. She didn't mind at all what Cat said. In fact, Maria wished she had been able to see the fight too.

"Oh, Maria," Loveday called, as she rushed over. Cradled in Loveday's arms was a very much awake, and cranky, Albert. "Once again, you've done it! You proved us all wrong. You truly are the Moon Princess."  
Maria smiled and ran to Loveday and Albert. She gave them both a kiss on the cheek, though Albert tried to bite Maria's cheek in return.

"Loveday, I'm just glad Albert's alright. I was so worried for him. I would have never forgiven myself had something happened to him."

"Shush dear, now is not the time for such thoughts. Albert is back because of you, we never blamed you. Not once. And just for that, I will put on the most lavish birthday ball for you! It'll be grand!"

Though Maria begged Loveday not to do so, and explained how unnecessary a party was at the time, her friends quickly intervened. They were eager for a Moonacre ball, and what better excuse than to celebrate their best friend's birthday.

"Now just wait a minute!" Mrs. Heliotrope shrill cry interrupted their chatter. Maria froze. All blood left her face. Had her governess seen what she almost did? No doubt she'd be in great trouble.  
Mrs. Heliotrope rushed over and took Maria into a forceful hug.  
Maria squirmed as she felt drops of water fall onto her face. They were Mrs. Heliotrope's tears. "If you think you will be receiving a ball, after all you've put us through, you are very wrong!—"

"—But Mrs. Heliotrope—" Cat tried to protest.

"—But nothing! Look at you, Ms. Merryweather, your mother would be turning in her grave! Dare I say, improper and very indecent choice of clothes, running off without permission, fighting off villains, playing hero…" Mrs. Heliotrope began listing off Maria's misdemeanors with her fingers, all the while refusing to let Maria go from her hug. "What were you thinking my child? What am I to do if something happens to you? How could I forgive myself?" Her governess cried.

Maria pursed her lips and looked down to her feet. "…I'm sorry Mrs. Heliotrope." She was relieved there was no mention of Robin.

Mrs. Heliotrope sighed, "Please promise me, Maria, no more adventures for you!"

"I'll try…" She muttered.

Mrs. Heliotrope shook her head and planted kisses on Maria's forehead and cheek. It was only after the rest of the boys approached to congratulate her, that Mrs. Heliotrope finally let her go.

As Sir Benjamin and Mr. De Noir finished tying Althea, the search party began their trek back to the manor. Maria, noticed someone wasn't keeping up. She turned and saw the birdboy still leaning against the large boulder, facing the moon and ocean.

"With that face you're making, I would almost think we lost!" Maria called out to Robin. She clasped her hands behind her back and walked to him. There was a playful smile on her lips and a spark in her eye that shined brightly under the moonlight.

Robin couldn't believe it. After all she had gone through, despite the cuts on her face, bumps and bruises on her body, she still managed to smile. She still managed a joke.

Robin shook his head and fixed his hat. "That shouldn't have happened. It should've been me."

"Robin, what do you mean?"

"Jane's right. You shouldn't have gotten hurt! It should've been me dealing with Charles." Robin turned to her, disappointed with himself. "Maria, I made a promise to you, right here in this very beach exactly three years ago. A promise I failed to keep." Maria stood silent.  
"I almost lost you again..." he whispered. Then turning back to the ocean he crossed his arms. "Had I not been such a fool for so long, perhaps none of this would've happened!"

Maria shook her head.  
"No, Robin. We were both prideful fools—and perhaps we still are—" she added with a sad smile.  
"—But no matter! What's important is that we did it. And you helped me, more than you could ever know. And if you don't believe me, twice today, you were all too willing to be a human shield for me! Only a birdbrain would do such a thing!"

Robin snorted and shook his head. He refused to budge. Maria looked around. No one was watching them. She took the opportunity and inched closer.

"Robin, I would be honored to have you as my protector. But you must promise not to do anything stupid. You may have reflexes, but I have magic!" Maria teased pointing to her pearls.  
"In all seriousness, thank you Robin, for everything." Maria stood on her toes and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Robin stiffened. He tried to catch her eyes, to see what that kiss meant, but Maria looked away.

"Aww come on, Maria!" Richard shouted from a few ways back. "I reckon Robin deserves a bit more than just a kiss on the cheek, eh? After all he's done!"  
Jane gasped and smacked his arm.

Maria's face fell and felt her ears burn. How had she not seen him! Embarrassed, she pushed Robin away as a deep red blush bloomed on her cheeks.

"No—" Sir Benjamin yelled back with a grunt "—that was more than enough."

"Dolts," Maria muttered to herself. Shaking her head and avoiding Robin's insistent gaze, she pulled him by his sleeve towards their friends.

"Well, we'll see what poor, brave, fool musters enough courage to court you," David remarked as the two neared them. Robin and William warily eyed one another, both ready to take on the challenge.

"I do pity him," Maria agreed, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "There is not enough luck in the world to help him cope with such a life I lead. The poor fellow will have to deal with all the troubles of a Moon Princess and monsters." Maria finished, eyeing Robin.

"He won't need the luck," Robin said glancing at Maria, "he'd already be the luckiest man in the world." He finished with a wink.

Maria's blush deepened and she hid her face into Jane's arm, wishing the fluttering in her stomach would go away.

The rest couldn't help but laugh. Richard even congratulated Robin on his choice of words. William however, didn't see what there was to laugh about. He snorted and rolled his eyes, while Bast smirked and elbowed his ribs.

Unfortunately, their merriment did not last long. Distracted by the sudden male attention Maria was receiving, Sir Benjamin accidentally loosened the rope he was using to tighten Althea's hands. Althea wretched her arm free and uttered a curse. A beam of blue light shot to Maria.

"Maria, watch out!" Her uncle shouted, throwing himself over the monster's arm to try and deflect the spell. But it was too late.

The light raced to Maria, and was about to strike her chest, when Robin shielded her with his body. He took the hit, the beam of magic landed square on his back pushing him into Maria. He cried out in pain.

Her eyes full of fear, saw Robin's eyes darken and glaze over. Maria screamed for Robin, but her yell was cut short. Her head hit the ground and she felt darkness take her.

* * *

Maria woke up. Sunlight streamed through her window and illuminated her room with bright light. Beside her, laid Cat and Jane, both still fast asleep. Lizzy, sat on a chair next to her bed. Her elbow was propped on the mattress and her head rested in her hand. Her eyes scanned the pages of a book on her lap. From Maria's view, it seemed to be some sort of medical book.

Maria yawned and stretched, careful not to disturb her friends.

"Oh Maria, you're awake! We were so worried about you!" Lizzy whispered.

"What's happened?"

At Maria's voice, Cat's eyes sprung open. She threw herself over Maria and smothered her with a hug. "Happy birthday, Maria! Well belated birthday, that is. Oh we feared the worst! It's so good to have you back."

Maria laughed. "How long have I've been asleep for?"

"Almost a week!" Lizzy replied. By now Jane was yawning herself awake.

"We were supposed to leave on Sunday, but we wanted to wait until you came back," Jane sleepily mumbled.

"Goodness, I'm sorry to have kept you all here."

"Nonsense!" Cat uttered. "Besides, we have yet to decide if we're telling our parents what's happened. We needed all the time to rest and heal." Cat waved to the various small nicks and bruises on her face and arm.

Maria's face twisted, all three of her friends were hurt. The girls smiled and assured Maria it was nothing they couldn't handle. They just didn't want to leave without knowing their friend was well.

"We have this for you," Lizzy said producing a box from under the bed. "We were hoping you'd wear it on your birthday, we wanted to celebrate with a family picnic. But it seems life had other plans."

Maria glowed with happiness and opened the box. Inside was a pastel yellow hoop dress. The sweet heart neckline was trimmed with white lace, and two white lace gloves accompanied it.

"This dress is simply beautiful!"

Maria smiled and fell back down on her pillow. Oh how she adored them, she couldn't have been blessed with better friends.

As quickly as she laid down, Maria sat back up. Her eyes were wide with fear. "Wrolf! The Unicorn! Albert, and Robin? How are they?"  
She scrambled to pull the covers off her. She needed to find out for herself, but Lizzy placed an arm on her shoulder and pushed her back. Maria was informed that Albert and Wrolf seemed to be doing well. Though Wrolf had lately taken to simply laying by Sir Benjamin's desk. No one could blame the old lion, he certainly fought a hard battle. The white horse though, no one was sure of its fate. After the unicorn faded, the herd galloped into the water and disappeared as well.

"And Robin?..." She asked, worry etched all over her eyes.

Lizzy scowled.

"He's as well as can be expected," Jane answered, coming to Lizzy's rescue.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Lizzy sighed, "Your family's been worried about you. You should go see them, they'll be relieved to see you up and about."

With her friends help, Maria quickly readied herself and was exited to put on her new dress. Despite her eagerness to leave and greet her family, Jane and Lizzy forced her to eat the breakfast Marmaduke brought.

Lizzy was indeed correct. Loveday and Mrs. Heliotrope immediately bombarded Maria with hugs and kisses. Mrs. Heliotrope even cried and sputtered incoherent sentences about fearing she lost her only child. There was no mention of a punishment though, which relieved the girls. Though the ball would have to be postponed until their next trip to Moonacre, Loveday assured them it would happen.

Albert, who was sitting on his father's laps, giggled with delight and waddled his way towards Maria. Maria was elated to see her nephew walking on his own, even if occasionally he did fall on his bum and cried.

Marmaduke and Digweed greeted her in the kitchen. Digweed presented her with a fresh bouquet of roses, and Marmaduke with a warm batch of cookies.

As they ate lunch, Maria learned that William and Bast were taking up residence at the De Noir castle. They too refused to leave until they saw Maria well with their own eyes.

"Loveday, how is he? Robin, I mean."

Sir Benjamin grunted and looked to Loveday, who bit her lip before responding.

"He's well. Robin's back home in the castle as well. I'm afraid he won't be going out on business for a few more weeks though."

"Can I see him?"

Sir Benjamin clenched his jaw, and shot Loveday a worried look.

"…My father invited me over for dinner, perhaps you can come and see him there." At Sir Benjamins shocked look, Loveday added, "but don't get your hopes up, his recovery has been, erm, difficult. We'll leave it to my father's discretion."

Maria was beginning to worry. Everyone was behaving cryptically regarding Robin's wellbeing.

That evening, their carriage pulled up to the castle. It was a rather packed carriage, Sir Benjamin was left no choice but to ride up top with Digweed.

On their arrival, Mr. De Noir waited outside the castle doors.

He froze at the sight of Sir Benjamin. Casting a worried look he rushed to the carriage's door and helped Loveday descend.

"Loveday, what are they all doing here? I thought we agreed only you were coming?"

Loveday bit her lip and avoided Maria's suspicious glance. "I know," She whispered. "But perhaps seeing her could help him recover."

Mr. De Noir didn't look convinced. "Do not let her away from your side. The situation has not improved. It could be dangerous!"

"What's going on? Where's Robin?" Maria asked. She stepped off the cage and looked around her. Even his friends were nowhere in sight.

"Hello Maria, it's great to see you're doing well!" Mr. De Noir greeted. Though he smiled, his face looked weary and troubled. "He'll be down in a moment."

Coeur led them to the great hall. Throughout their walk, the castle residents stared at Maria. They quietly murmured to one another, though she could not hear what they said. She was beginning to have a bad inclination.

In the great hall their dinner was served shortly. Minutes passed that led to hours. Topics were exhausted, conversations were repeated, and still, there was no sign of Robin.

"Well, it seems we have exhausted our stay. We shall take leave," Sir Benjamin said as he stood up.

"No! I have yet to see Robin!" Maria cried out.

"Perhaps he's busy today, Maria." Loveday tried to take Maria's arm but she pulled away. "We'll come back another time."

"Mr. De Noir, I really must see Robin. If he's hurt, its all my fault, and all the more reason I should see him!"

"Nonsense Maria! No need for that. He's probably off of in his room preoccupied with some errand. He's had a lot of work to catch up on. No need to trouble yourself."

"What's going on?"  
When no one answered her, Maria continued, "If he's mad, and refuses to see me, then I will see him myself!" Maria took off running before they could stop her.

"No, Maria, don't! He's not ready!" Loveday shouted.

But Maria paid no attention. She was about to leave to school in a few days and she was not going to leave without saying goodbye.

Her steps were light with anticipation as she rushed to his room. She was guided by the many servants along her way.  
Finally, arriving at his door, she stopped and raised her fist to knock. She paused, biting her lips. Her heart fluttered, and she forced her breath steady. Maria reminded herself to behave as a lady should.

 _Tap, tap, tap.  
_ Maria's knuckles lightly rapped on the door. Wringing her hands behind her back, Maria teetered on her toes, waiting for a response.

Silence.

Maria frowned.  _Perhaps, he really is busy, or maybe he's still asleep?_ She looked down the hall. At seeing no one else, she decided to enter. After all, he did save her, she had a right to know if he was safe and sound.

The door slowly creaked open. Maria popped her head in. Robin sat at his desk, sharpening his knives. Maria's heart warmed at the familiar sight. His bowler hat rested loyally on his head. His leather jacket was strewn lazily over the back of his chair. His feathered scarf fluttered with every breath as he meticulously ran his bade over the sharpening stone. He had yet to notice her.

Maria, relieved to see him alive and looking so  _De Noir-ish_ , couldn't help but beam with happiness. "Robin! You're well!" She hurried over to him. "I was so worried about—"

Maria stopped abruptly. Like a flash before her eyes, Robin jumped onto his feet and twirled his knife in his fingers. He swung it to Maria's neck, stopping mere inches away from her skin.

Maria's eyes furrowed with pain and confusion. All words gone from her mouth, she could do nothing but gape.

"Merryweather," he snarled. The charcoal that outlined his eyes only seemed to increase the scorn in his eyes.

"Maria, get away from him!" William shouted running in. He jumped across the bed and pushed Robin away. He knocked Robin's hand to the side and held him at arm's length.

Robin looked confused, his eyes darting between Maria and William. His knife was still gripped tightly in his hand.

"R—Robin? What are you doing?" Maria asked, she couldn't mask the hurt in her voice, or stop the tears from building in her eyes.

"Robin! You put that down now!" Loveday screamed running in with Sir Benjamin and her father.

Sir Benjamin took Maria into his arms and shielded her from Robin.

"Robin, put your knife away! There is no need for that here!" Mr. De Noir barked.

"What are they doing here?" Robin growled, his eyes jumping between Maria and Sir Benjamin, before finally landing on Loveday with a look that screamed of betrayal. "Why are you defending them?"

"We've talked about this before," Coeur said. "They are family now."

Robin narrowed his eyes and turned away. He returned to polishing his weapons.

"He doesn't remember anything after your first arrival," Loveday whispered, her eyes dejected and teary. "We'll explain on our way home."

Maria was led away by Loveday. She looked over her shoulders and studied the boy who was once her friend, but now had no memory of her. Before she stepped out of the room, he turned to look at her. His gaze pierced her own, as though searching for answers, yet finding none in her eyes.


	26. Epilogue: Of Whats to Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if its an Epilogue or a Preview...

**Epilogue**

Charles groaned.

His head rolled lazily to the side, coming to a soft thump against the wooden beam he sat by. His eyes drilled into the wall before him.  
He was bored.  
He ran his hand over his unshaven face, disgusted at how dingy and disheveled he must look.

Ninety-three tally marks scratched onto the stone. Ninety-three days since he'd been locked up.  
Well over three months since he kidnapped Albert. Three months since he catastrophically failed to use the pearls.  
How had he been so stupid! Clearly, he hadn't planned it through.  
Would he ever get another chance?

From the little he heard, Maria had long gone back to school. She wore the pearls on her at all times.

She would be returning soon for the holidays.

They were fast approaching.  
With every day—every damned tally mark—the dungeons grew colder.  
His sister and mother made sure to visit him as frequently as they could. Maybelle even sent letters to him. He refused to speak to either of them though. They brought him clothes and food.  
Yesterday, they brought blankets as well.

It seemed his father's plan to take him away before the upcoming cold months had failed.

The blankets sat in the corner of his cell, still unwrapped. His pride wouldn't let him touch them. He was bound to freeze down here. Or get sick. Whichever happened first.  
That's how most of the prisoners died. It's been a long time since these dungeons held any though, not counting the Moon Princess.

He shifted his weight, the stone floor had numbed his legs.  
He sorely wished for a warm bath— _and where the bloody hell is my dinner!_  
Charles rolled his eyes, the guard was taking his time today—again. He wondered how much longer he would have to be here for. He heard from the guards that his father continued to beg Mr. De Noir for his release.

Charles scoffed.

That man had no pride, begging to the likes of Coeur.  
There was talk about sending him away, to another country, Australia or something of the sort. Possibly even the Americas.

No one would tell him about Robin. He saw when the spell hit him that night. He hoped Robin was suffering.

He snorted.  
As if they could get rid of him that easily. As long as he was alive, he swore vengeance. He just needed to find Althea.  
Occasionally, through the nights he heard her birdlike screeches. She was still alive. Locked up away, somewhere secured, until they found a way to be rid of her.

He hoped she was alright.

Althea made a great impression that night. Never before had he seen such a transformation. She turned out to be quite the imposing, yet magnificent, creature. Her golden feathers were captivating under the moonlight.  
Certainly, they must be more mesmerizing under sunlight. She was dreadfully beautiful.

His thoughts sprang to those of Cecile.  
What if he could convince her to release him... "—no" he said to himself.  
He had long ago ruined that relation. Such a softy that one. She would've made a lovely wife. But she was simple minded, and easy to forgive, only caring about her mother and damned brother! After his refusal to accept Maria, she gave up hope.  
It's a shame her betrothed was murdered, he chuckled. He made sure to thank Althea for that one.

Althea…  
Despite her clear disdain for humans, Charles was sure she'd be more than eager to help him. Besides, he could even offer her a taste of the pearl's power. Once he figured how to use them…

_..._ _Tap…Tap…Tap..._

Charles looked up. His thoughts broken by the heeled footsteps of the approaching guard. His stomach growled.

"I may be locked away but I am still a De Noir! I demand my plate of food be delivered at an appropriate hour!" His voice cracked, scratching his dried throat. Charles coughed, his lungs burned with every one. These dungeons would be the end of him, he needed to get out before the weather worsened! He didn't trust his wellbeing at the hands of Robin's family, despite what his mother said. He had no reason to.

The guard didn't respond.

Charles raised an eyebrow. Normally the guard would've retorted or insulted him by now. This one must be new.

A quiet, scratching, sound soon joined the steps. The bit of moonlight streaming through the cell's roof grate revealed a pair of tall black boots coming his way. Alongside the boots, dragged lazily behind him, was a sword. The sword was dripping with blood.

The figure came to a proper halt in front of Charles' door. He was a tall, muscular man. His black hair was slicked back and he had a sharp widow's peak. His eyes were as dark as his hair, and his dense eyebrows matched his thick mustache. He wore a long navy-blue riding coat. He carried himself with an easy grace.

There was a charming aura about him, one that drew Charles to the stranger.

His eyes scanned over Charles. A glint of malice laid in the dark pits of his eyes.

"Country folk, they never fail to disappoint."

Charles glared. "Who the hell are you, what do you want?" He snapped.

"I've come to take what's mine, where is she?"

"I…. I don't know."

The man studied him. Satisfied he drew a gun and shot the deadbolt. The cell gate groaned open.

"You're welcome to join us." The man turned and continued through the dungeons, searching for the rumored monster.

Charles stood and stared intently at his back. He twisted his mouth and looked around his cell.

The tap of the stranger's footsteps dimmed as he traveled further into the dungeons.

Charles drew a frustrated breath as a foreboding feeling nestled in his stomach. He pushed the thought aside, hurriedly shoving his sister's letters into his coat's pocket. He wrapped the rest of his belongings together in one of his new blankets. He didn't have much else to take.  
He scrawled a quick note on an old piece of paper, and shoved it under his cot. He hoped Maybelle would know where to look.

With one last look around, Charles followed the man into the dark.


End file.
